Tora no Miko
by Mystical Shadow Priestess
Summary: They call her Tora no Miko, the Tiger Priestess. He is known as Inu no Taisho, the Dog General. What happens when the two come together in order to defeat an enemy once thought long dead?
1. Prologue

First off, I just want to say THANK YOU to both Moon-Goddess-Lee, and inugirl504 for helping me with ideas!

Permanent Disclaimer: I will say this once, and only once, for the remainder of this story. I do not now, nor will I ever own Inuyasha, or make a profit off of this fanfiction. It is purely for fun and entertainment purposes only…Though I do own this plot and any OCs that I add... Now that, that's over, ON WITH THE STORY!...

P.S. Please R&R (^~^).

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Prologue

' _Run…..Faster…..Faster….Gotta run faster…..Can't stop…'_

A young woman of twenty ran through the woods, repeating this to herself, in order to ignore her aching legs, stinging arms, throbbing cheeks, and the pain of the wound in her side which was bleeding profusely. She was bloody and bruised, from the branches hitting her, the occasional fall, and her run-in with the bandit, which was currently chasing her -hence the running.

He had caught her while she was walking in-between villages, and decided that she would make a good 'bed mate'. When she disagreed, he tried to beat her into submission. After a few hard hits, she had started fighting back. This enraged the bandit even more, so he took out a dagger and stabbed her in her left side. After falling to the ground in pain and shock, she had finally gotten the chance she had waited for. Kicking him in his 'manly bits', she scrambled onto her feet and took off running. However, before she got too far, she heard him get up and give chase.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are." Her would-be captor taunted behind her. "Come now, it'll only hurt for a bit. Then you'll be dead." He laughed menacingly.

The girl shivered in fright and disgust. Determined to escape, she picked up her pace. Seeing a large rock formation to her right, she headed towards it, hoping it would provide at least _some_ cover. As she approached it, she sighed in relief when she saw a small crack in the rocks that was partially covered with greenery.

' _C'mon, just a few more feet. You can do it, Kagome. Almost….there!'_

The girl, Kagome, slid into the crack and was pleasantly surprised to see that it was in fact, a small cave. She was also happy to see that it was a lot bigger on the inside than it seemed. She scurried towards the back of the cave as quickly and quietly as she could. Kagome held her breath, until she heard her assailant run past her hiding spot.

Letting her air out in a rush, Kagome sat there panting for a second, trying to catch her breath as she used her hand to apply pressure to her side, in order to stop the bleeding. Looking around the cave, she noticed that it was large enough that she would easily be able to walk around upright, and it seemed to be at least fifteen feet deep, and ten feet wide. It looked like it had previously been used by an animal, seeing as it had bedding and old animal bones scattered around. This didn't bother Kagome at all, having stayed in many caves just like this one, while with her group of friends. She just hoped that nothing was using it at the moment, because she would be a sitting duck, in that case.

As her adrenaline rush disappeared, her injuries and exhaustion started to make themselves known even more, so she drug herself over to the bedding. She could still feel her life-blood draining from her wounds, but at that moment she was too tired to even think of doing anything about it. She barely managed to reach it before passing out, having reached her body's limit. As she fell, she was vaguely aware of the crimson pool growing on the bedding below her.

' _I'm gonna die here.'_ Was her last thought.

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A/N: I know it's short, but it's a prologue… it's not _supposed_ to be long lol… Don't worry though. The rest of the chapters will be longer, although each of them will be varied in length.

Also, i will be updating this story once a month.


	2. Chapter 1

I know I said I would only post once a month, but I felt bad that the prologue was so short, and since I've gotten such a good response to it so far I thought I would be go ahead and give you guys another chapter to hold y'all over til next month.

Special thanks to **jay90** for being my first reviewer for this story!

Now, without further adieu, ON WITH THE SHOW!

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Chapter 1

' _Thinking'_

"Talking"

' **Kaia'**

Kagome was brought back into the waking world by a warmth against her back that seemed to be vibrating, and another warm, yet also wet, and slightly scratchy sensation moving down her arm in a repetitive motion. Her first thought was to be surprised at the fact that she was still alive. She had been sure that she would bleed to death after she passed out.

Then, as she woke up more, she realised she heard a loud purr-like noise as well, which would explain the vibrations that she was feeling. Internally, she started freaking out, but externally, she opened her eyes and started taking in her surroundings.

She was startled to see that she was laying against a full grown tiger, which had curled itself around her, and was now calmly licking the blood from her body.

She slowly turned her head to the side to look at the spot the tiger was licking, and was even more surprised and confused to realise that the scratches on her arm were now gone.

' _What the_ hell _?'_ She thought to herself in disbelief.

Calmly, so as not to startle the tiger, she sat up, moving her now healed -and clean- arm out of reach as she scooted over to make some space between them. She briefly noticed that though her body was still sore, and she was still tired, her body didn't hurt nearly as much as it should have.

Even her side, which had, had a large wound, only had a dull ache rather than the sharp, burning pain she had expected. She raised her haori up and was astonished to see that what had been a large gaping hole in her side, was now healed to the point that there was nothing more than a raised, pale pink line to show that she had even received the wound in the first place.

' **It's alright child, I won't hurt you.'** Kagome gasped when she heard a female's voice in her head, making her freeze in her movements.

She slowly, cautiously, looked over at the tiger as she lowered her haori back into place. "W-was that you?" She asked.

The tiger nodded. "How?"

The feline seemed to smile before replying. ' **My mother was a Nekomata, and I gained the ability from her. All Nekomata can use mind speech with their chosen person. I happened to be traveling past this cave and I smelled your blood. When I walked inside, I saw you passed out and lying in a pool of your own blood, so I decided to heal you by licking your wounds.'**

"Do all Nekomata have that ability as well?" Kagome asked, thinking about her friend Sango's Nekomata companion, Kirara. If Kirara'd had that ability, why hadn't she ever used it? It would have saved the group many times.

Then, the rest of what was said, caught up with her.

"And what do you mean by 'chosen person'?" She added.

' **No, actually, I gained** _ **that**_ **ability from my father, a tiger demon. It is a rare ability for felines to have, as it is usually only found in canines and certain elementals. That means that at some point, one of his ancestors mated with one of the two. Hopefully an elemental.'** Here, the tigress made a weird huffing sound that Kagome assumed was a chuckle. Kagome relaxed at the sound. She moved over so she could once again lean back to rest against the feline's side

' **As for your other question, Nekomata can choose to serve someone they find deserving of their companionship. Meaning, the Nekomata will assist that person or people in anything from battles, to caring for them and guarding them in times of need. Some even going so far as to carry their people to and from their destinations.'** The tigress curled around Kagome's back and laid her head on Kagome's lap. She started purring as Kagome absent-mindedly began petting her behind her ears.

' **When I walked in and saw you on the verge of death, and yet still oozing purity and innocence, I** _ **knew**_ **that you would be someone of worth and chose you in that moment. I can feel that you have done, and will do great things, and I wish to be a part of that.'**

Kagome blushed slightly, not used to being praised. She was humbled that this mighty creature has decided that she, plain old Kagome, was worthy enough to have as a partner. _Especially_ before actually meeting her, seeing as how Kagome had been unconscious until less than half an hour ago.

"Thank you. No one has ever said anything like that to me before. It honestly means a lot that you would find me worthy of such a gift, as that of your friendship and companionship…. Oh, where are my manners! I'm Kagome. Kagome Higurashi. "

The tigress huff-laughed. **'I am known as Kaia. Now, you may be healed, but you still lost a lot of blood. I will go hunt for some food to help you replenish what you've lost. While I'm gone, you can make a fire if you wish. I know humans tend to prefer their meat cooked.'**

Kagome giggled at Kaia's joke, and nodded. Kaia stood and left the cave. After tenderly rising to her feet, Kagome followed her out so she could collect firewood.

Two hours later, the new friends were lounging around the cave with full bellies, when Kagome finally happened to look down and see her current state of dress.

Since the closing of the well, she had taken to wearing traditional priestess garb, though her hakama were a sapphire blue color, similar to her grandfather's, rather than the scarlet red that both Kikyo and Kaede wore. A gift from Kaede.

Though she was slightly upset, she wasn't at all surprised to see the sad state her clothes were in at the moment. They were torn in multiple places, and covered in blood, sweat, and dirt.

Sighing, she turned to her partner. "Kaia, is there a hot spring nearby? I'd like to bathe. On top of that, my clothes are in desperate need of washing, since I don't exactly have a change of clothes lying around."

Kaia nodded, slowly rising to her feet. **"Yes, there's one just a short walk away from here. I'll show you where it is."**

"Thank you." Kagome said happily, undeterred by the fact that she had no soaps or anything to wash with. She had long ago learned how to make do with different herbs, which were easy to find as they grew near water.

She was upset that she had lost her bag in the struggle with the bandit, though. While it didn't hold nearly as much as it once had, -now that Naraku was gone and she was stuck in the feudal era- it _had_ carried her extra changes of clothes. As well as rations, other necessities, and what little of her first aid kit she had left. Though, she only used the kit on really bad cases, such as gaping wounds, severe colds -which were common killers in this time period- and the like. She would have to remember to go back and look for it tomorrow. She would also ask Kaia to go with her, just in case she had another run-in with the bandit.

Luckily, since before the well had even closed Kaede had taken Kagome under her wing and taught her everything she needed to know about herbs, their properties, and uses. She also taught her things that most people her age should have already known in this time, such as how to make impromptu thread using horse hair, or, in a bind, even a few strands of her own hair. She also knew how to strain dirty water into a pot using a cloth in order to get out most of the impurities, as well as many other survival tricks.

It was at times like this, that Kagome was truly thankful for the woman she had looked up to as a grandmotherly figure. Sadly though, Kaede had passed away three years previous, due to old age. Kagome had been heartbroken, and refused to leave the old woman's home for weeks until Inuyasha finally had to drag her out of the hut so they could continue searching for the Jewel shards. Slowly, over the course of a few months, she had finally come back to her old self, though it was still a little less bright and happy than it had been before.

While she and Kaia walked, she veered off the path to pick the herbs she could use to clean herself and her clothes with. She was even lucky enough to find mint, which she would use to clean her teeth with. As soon as they reached the hot spring, Kagome looked around in satisfaction. Steam covered the area surrounding the spring, and Kagome was glad to see that the spring itself was very large and seemingly deep.

She was even happier to find that the sewing needle she kept hidden in the hem of her haori sleeve, was somehow miraculously still there. Pulling it out of it's hiding place, she walked over to the edge of the water and stripped. Sitting down, she laid her small bundle of herbs beside her, then pulled out five strands of her waist-length, blue-black hair, and tied them together at the ends. She then threaded it through the small slit in the end of the needle, and began the tedious task of sewing her clothes back together. She was so focused on her work, she never even noticed Kaia moving to lay beside her, content to watch her partner work.

By the time she was done, her back and neck hurt from being hunched over so long, but she was happy with the results. She had managed to make it look as though her clothes had never been ripped in the first place. After carefully putting the needle back in it's hiding place, she stood and stretched her sore muscles, sighing in relief as her back popped in a satisfying manner. Kagome then walked to a shallow end of the spring and waded into the water, leaving her clothes on the edge of the bank. She found a natural shelf and sat down, closing her eyes in bliss.

After soaking long enough to ease the tension in her body, she swam back over to the edge and grabbed some of the herbs she had collected, so she could wash her body, hair, and teeth. Once she decided she was sufficiently as clean as she could possibly get with what little she had, she grabbed her clothes, as well as the remaining herbs, and began washing them, while periodically checking to make sure that she didn't lose her only needle.

As she did this, she explained her past, including her original home and her adventures with her friends, to Kaia. After she finished, they once again lapsed into silence.

Ten minutes later, she felt the need to break the silence again, so she turned back to face her friend.

"Hey Kaia?"

 **'Hmm?"**

" I was just thinking about how Kirara has two different forms. We call them her kitten form -which is self explanatory- and her battle form, where she changes to be almost your size, but she has saber teeth, fire surrounding her paws, and can fly…" She paused briefly, before continuing. " Well anyways, I was just wondering. Since you are half Nekomata, can you change forms too?"

Kaia chuckled, causing Kagome to blush. **"Yes actually, I do, though I rarely use them. I prefer this form, but I too have a 'kitten form' as you call it. I also have a humanoid form, which I got from my father. I only ever change to that form in life or death situations though. It drains too much energy not only for the initial change, but also to keep it up. This is because I am only** _ **half**_ **tiger demon. If I'm not careful, I could eventually pass out from lack of energy."**

At this, Kagome nodded in understanding.

Kaia stretched, before continuing. **"In most cases, demons that possess a humanoid form prefer to use it, since it takes nearly none of their energy to keep it up, and for most, it's much easier to move around undetected."** Here, Kagome thought of Sesshomaru, and his true form. She remembered how big he had been, towering over trees easily, though he had to be very careful with each movement he made, so as not to accidentally hurt anyone he didn't wish to. She shook her head free of her thoughts as Kaia began speaking once more.

" **For me, however, since my mother was a Nekomata, which as you know, -while still demons-** **don't** _ **have**_ **a humanoid form, it takes more energy for me to keep it up. In fact, in order for my father to mate with my mother, he had to create a potion for her so she would have a humanoid form for a short time."**

Kagome blushed profusely at the mention of Kaia's parents mating. It was also kind of disturbing, like thinking of her own parents in _that_ way. She shivered, disgusted just thinking about it.

Kaia chuckled at her again, knowing through their bond just what the young priestess was thinking about. After that, they stayed quiet; Kaia because she was dozing, and Kagome because she was trying to erase her previous thoughts from her mind.

Soon enough, Kagome had completed her self appointed task, and climbed out of the water.

' _Just in time, too._ ' She thought, looking down at her pruning fingers.

She wrung her clothes out as best she could, before redressing and walking over to where Kaia was lying.

"Alright, I'm done. Let's go back to the cave and get some sleep." She whispered. Kaia nodded and stood up.

Silently, the two of them walked back to the cave. When they got there Kagome once again stripped, though this time she kept her bra and underwear on, and placed her clothes beside the fire so they would be dry by morning. She padded over to the bedding and laid down. Kaia moved to lay beside her in order to help keep her warm throughout the night. As Kagome nodded off, she couldn't help but wonder about the sudden direction her life had seemed to take.

It seemed like just yesterday, that she and her friends had traipsed all over Feudal Japan searching for Jewel shards. In actuality, it had been five years since the beginning of her journey, and two years since Naraku was defeated. However, after the Jewel had been pieced back together and the wish was made, Kagome was once more nearly overcome with grief when she learned that the well would never be able to take her through time again. It was to be her punishment, due to the fact that no wish is truly unselfish. So because her wish was granted and the Jewel was destroyed, she was to be stranded in the Feudal Era, with no way to get back to her own time. Over the past couple of years, though, she had accepted that fact, and now it was just a distant pain, rather than the near crippling one it had been.

In the years since the Final battle, much had changed. Sango and Miroku had gotten married and moved off to rebuild the Slayer's Village. They already had a little boy, and had been working on child number two then she had last seen them over a month ago.

Inuyasha had met another Half-demon named Mizuki, and settled down in Edo in order to start a family. Kagome had long ago given up on having a romantic relationship with Inuyasha, so when she found out about his relationship with Mizuki, she was truly overjoyed. She just adored Mizuki, and thought they made a great couple. She was the Yin to Inuyasha's Yang. Where he was gruff, loud, and ill-tempered, she was quiet, overly friendly, and very hard to anger.

One thing that Kagome secretly thought Inuyasha liked about Mizuki was the fact that she was also a dog demon, though, where Inuyasha had silver hair, hers was a deep, fire ember red (which happens to be Inuyasha's favorite color).

However, like Kagome, Mizuki was one of the few people that could put Inuyasha in his place without a huge fight. Kagome found it hilarious that one glare from the normally mild mannered Mizuki would send Inuyasha packing, so to speak.

Lastly, Kagome thought about her little Shippo, though he wasn't very little anymore. Last she had seen him, he was close to her height of 5'6, just barely reaching below her collarbone. She was saddened when he just decided one day that he wanted to travel to Jinenji's village and become the half-demon's apprentice. When she asked him about it, he said that he didn't like fighting, so instead he wanted to learn how to become a healer.

Though, later on, he had said that after his apprenticeship with Jinenji was over, he would search out Lord Sesshomaru, and ask to train under him as well. Even though he didn't like fighting, he still needed to know how to protect himself and his loved ones, he'd reasoned. Kagome couldn't argue with his logic, so she had tearfully said her goodbyes the morning he set out on his journey six months ago.

Since then, Kagome had also been bitten by the travel bug, and a month ago she had packed her things, and said goodbye to Inuyasha and Mizuki. After a short visit to Sango and Miroku, she took off towards the East. She didn't really have any specific destination in mind. Instead, she went wherever her feet took her.

As she finally allowed sleep to claim her, her last thought was ' _I wonder what will happen next…_ '

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Well, what did you guys think? Please let me know. Reviews are always appreciated!

~MSP~


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ok, as a heads up, the Demon Language part (down below) is because I will be using it basically as an 'all speak' for different breeds, such as Elemental, Fox, Dog, Panther, etc. Meaning, it will be used as a common Language that all demons will instinctively be able to understand and use. It won't be used until later chapters, but I figured I'd just go ahead and add it in anyways.

Also, when I say that Kaia, Gin, and Bali are speaking to Kagome, it's more or less telepathically. They all share a link with Kagome and each other, so even though they are 'speaking', none of them are actually talking out loud. Though, when they do speak out loud, to humans it just comes out as growls, purrs, etc. Kagome usually speaks out loud to them out of habit. However, when she doesn't want anyone to know they are talking, she will speak to them through their link… I hope that makes sense.

Anyways, I just wanted to explain a little, just to keep you guys from getting confused. If you still have any questions, please feel free to write them in reviews, or PM me, and I will answer them to the best of my abilities ^~^.

P.S. THANK YOU to all my favs, and followers. You all mean more to me than you'll ever know! Also, another THANK YOU to all my wonderful reviewers **jay90, Moon-Goddess-Lee, Trinabear** , and the senders of the three **Guest Reviews**! You have all been very encouraging and kind that you all deserve a cookie!

I'm sorry for any grammatical errors. I go over each chapter multiple times before I post, but it's still possible that something slipped past my notice and I don't have a Beta so if you see something, please let me know and I'll fix it asap. Though, I WILL say that in the case of Dialogue, sometimes things will be misspelled or such on purpose, depending on who is speaking.

On another note, I'm thinking about going back and naming the chapters. What do you guys think? If you think I should, please review with a 'Yes' and, if you want, a suggestion for that chapter.

Now, enough of my rambling... ON WITH THE SHOW!

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' _Thinking'_

"Talking"

"Demon Language"

 **'Kaia'**

 **'Gin'**

 _'Bali'_

' _ **Kagome'**_

 _Three Years Later…_

 _Five years since the death of Naraku..._

Kagome walked into the cave with a boar slung across her back, which she had caught for dinner. As she entered, she was greeted by a trio of voices. First Kaia, whom she had grown very close to in the last three years since they had met, followed by Kaia's two-year-old twins Gin and Bali. Gin had pure silvery-white colored fur and golden eyes. He was the excitable troublemaker of the bunch, though he was also very friendly, and loyal to a fault. Bali, however was almost the exact opposite. She had midnight-black fur and icy blue eyes. She is normally very calm, laid-back, and shy, though she is also kind and very loyal as well.

It was very unusual to see three full grown tigers living in a streak, as they tend to be solitary animals. Especially ones of different genders. However, once the twins were old enough to understand, they both had decided to become Kagome's partners as well, rather than leaving the only home they had ever known, and running into the possibility of never seeing each other again. Now, Kagome has three wonderful partners, and they were all content to live in their small cave, in the middle of nowhere.

In the last three years since the fateful day Kagome met Kaia, she had grown in many ways. Now twenty-three, she'd lost all the baby fat that had lingered in her cheeks, and her figure had filled out more. To anyone that saw her now, she was no longer a girl, but a full-grown woman. She had a beautiful hourglass figure, her hair had grown so long that she had to keep pulled up either in a braid, or a ponytail, to keep it from dragging the ground, and she had even grown three inches in height.

Not only that, but Kaia had been a great help in teaching her everything she could ever hope to know about demons, including their languages, politics, customs, and more. However, perhaps the biggest change of them all, was the fact that she was no longer human. After the last eight years of eating the meat of demon boars, rabbits, and the like, the demonic energy gradually built up in her system, until Kagome herself had slowly transformed into an Elemental demon. *

Though, she quickly found out that she wasn't a specific type, per say. She could naturally control all the elements, rather than just one or two, like most elementals. She had the attributes of most demons; claws, fangs, pointed ears, heightened senses, elevated speed and strength. But other than that, her looks were relatively unchanged, besides the ones that came naturally as she matured.

She could even perform energy attacks similar to Inuyasha's Iron Reaver Soul Stealer, Blades of Blood, and even Sesshomaru's energy whip, along with many other handy tricks she had learned since her transition. However, unlike an animal-based demon she had no real 'true form' (Like how Sesshomaru transforms into a giant dog.) Instead, when she transforms, her eyes go red, her senses, speed, and strength double, and she has lilac purple stripes that appear all over her body.

The best thing though, in her opinion, was that she still had her Miko powers. Kaia speculated that because her demonic energy built up so slowly, rather than her Reiki seeing the energy as a threat, the energies merged together, swirling around each other peacefully, rather than either attacking each other and basically killing her from the inside out, or just canceling each other out completely, which would leave her defenseless.

Kagome suddenly came back to herself, and realized that her body has been on autopilot while she was thinking of the past. She was now sitting on the cave floor, leaning up against Kaia. She stared into the fire, watching her part of the boar roast, while her three companions ate their portions raw. Even though Kagome was now a demon, she still preferred her meat cooked, however, it was mostly just out of habit, having eaten it that way for most of her life.

Shortly after they all finished eating, the four of them headed down to their private hot spring for their evening baths, though it was more of a bonding experience than anything else. They all firmly believed that grooming each other helped them stay close as a streak**, a family.

Since Kagome wasn't an animal-based demon, she didn't have many ways that she could contribute to their nightly grooming session, so she was happy to help where she could. Most nights, she would bathe the tigers in the spring, and then they would all help her where they could, which usually just consisted of them alternating between licking her hair dry and running their claws through it, to release any tangles that had formed while she washed it. Afterwards, the tigers would dry each other in the same way, while she would gently comb their fur using her claws, to help prevent mats.

In many ways, it was a very calm and relaxing time for them. After a rough day, it was a time where they could all revel in the reassuring presence of their family. On days where one of them was feeling down, it helped cheer them up, knowing that they all had each other's backs, and would support them in everything they did.

Kagome loved these moments. It had been over three years since she had even heard from any of her old friends, and these moments helped to keep her loneliness at bay. Now, don't get her wrong, she loved her new family, yet she couldn't help but miss her old group as well. Especially Sango, her sister, and Shippo, her son. The last she had seen of them had been before she was found by Kaia.

One week after she was accosted by the bandit, Kagome and Kaia had set out to find them, but to be honest, she had covered so much ground in the month she had been traveling aimlessly, that she didn't even have the first clue as to where she should even begin to look. She and Kaia had been traveling around, trying to find them for three weeks, when Kaia went into heat. Soon after, she became pregnant, so the two of them went back to their cave, where it was safest. They had stayed there ever since.

' _Kagome, what's wrong?'_ Bali asked, pulling the now sullen Miko from her thoughts. Kagome looked up in surprise, seeing that her three companions had stopped their grooming, and were now staring at her in worry.

' **Yeah, you've been staring off into space for the last ten minutes. We finished grooming a while ago, and you still didn't move.'**Gin added.

Kaia nodded her head in agreement, though she didn't comment.

"Nothing you guys, I'm just thinking, is all. Why don't we head back to the cave and get some sleep? Dawn comes early." She said, smiling softly, hoping to set them at ease. The tigers didn't seem to believe her, but thankfully, they dropped the issue. They all knew about her past, and how much it weighed on her that she hadn't had any contact with her former friends in so long. After a minute, they all stood, waiting for Kagome to gather her things so they could head back.

Unbeknownst to them, the next day would be full of surprises for their beloved Demon-Miko.

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A/N: Sorry it's so short, I promise that the chapters will get longer!

*This idea was not mine. I read something like this in _Starting Anew_ by Kiteria Faye, who was kind enough to give me permission to use her idea for my story. So, I want to say a big THANK YOU to her, and I hope you guys check out her stories!

**In case you guys didn't know, although uncommon for tigers to travel together, as they are lone predators, when they do, it is called a streak, so I opted to use that, rather than just call it a pack, since it's more accurate. THANK YOU, GOOGLE! lol.

Any information on tigers or other breeds of animal, that I happen to slip into my stories, I have found on Google so if it's incorrect, I apologize, and if you will send me a correction (nicely, if you please), I will fix it as soon as I can.

Also, because I have gotten a few reviews asking me to update sooner than once a month, so I will TRY to post more often, though it will be sporadic at best, because of my crazy work schedule. BUT, if nothing else, I PROMISE that you will get at least one update per month for the duration of this fic!

Please R&R,

~MSP~


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I'm sorry for the long wait. Work and life have kept me busy.

SHOUT-OUT TO ALL OF MY REVIEWERS, FAVS, AND FOLLOWERS! You all mean the world to me, and help to keep me motivated in continuing to write.

Ok, I know it's moving a little slow, but hopefully soon it will start to pick up a little more… Hope you guys like this next chapter. Please R&R!

Also, I know that in the movie, Inu no Taisho uses So'unga to battle Takemaru, but for the sake of my story, he did not. AND just for the simple fact that I can't figure out a way to properly explain it, when Inuyasha and Sesshomaru defeated So'unga, Inu no Taisho's ghost DID NOT appear to them afterwards. You'll understand later.

For those of you who have any questions about this chapter or any others, please leave it in a review or PM me. I promise to answer them as soon as I can!

If I use any words that I'm not sure most people would know, I will leave the definition for that word at the end of the chapter.

ON WITH THE SHOW…

~MSP~

* * *

' _Thinking'_

"Talking"

"Demon Language"

 **'Kaia'**

 **'Gin'**

 _'Bali'_

' _ **Kagome'**_

The next day, Kagome and Kaia were sitting side by side watching Gin and Bali roughhouse when suddenly, there was a large burst of energy about a mile north of where they were.

Immediately, the Demon-Miko and Tigress were on their feet and rushing towards the energy as they ordered the cubs to hide in the cave until the adults deemed it safe to come back out. The cubs did so unquestioningly, having sensed the energy at the same time as the adults.

As the two got closer to their destination, both were troubled to smell blood - a lot of it. Looking at their partner simultaneously, they picked up their speed even more. They arrived in a large clearing within five minutes of feeling the energy burst. However, by the time they got there, all they saw was an unconscious and bleeding male demon in the middle of a large, smoking crater. The crater itself looked to be as deep as a small lake, and about one hundred feet wide. Around the crater, there were deep gauge marks in the ground.

Without thought, Kagome instantly went to check on the male while Kaia searched the perimeter to see if she could find any clues as to what had happened.

Kaia soon became confused however, because although she picked up the faint scent of another male demon besides the one currently in the clearing, she found no other indications that anyone other than the three of them had been in the area recently.

Just as she decided to go report her findings to her partner, she heard Kagome let out a gasp. Alarmed, Kaia turned away from her spot at the edge of the clearing and ran back over to the crater to see what had startled her companion so.

As Kagome jumped down into the crater, she cautiously walked up to the unconscious male, who was laid out on his stomach. She could just barely pick up the sounds of his shallow breathing.

As she approached, she took in his bloody and battered appearance. There didn't seem to be an inch on him that wasn't covered in blood and soot. His clothes were torn in multiple places, and his armor seemed to be held together with nothing more than a lick and a prayer.

The closer she got, the more she could tell that some of the blood she smelled wasn't his. She was slightly relieved at this realization, though she didn't know why. He appeared to have been in a great battle of some kind. This puzzled her because she knew that there wasn't anything like that going on anywhere near these parts of the lands. She and the others would have known-would have _felt_ the energy of such a battle as he seemed to have been engaged in.

Finally reaching his side, Kagome slowly kneeled down beside him. She briefly took note of his matted silver hair as she carefully placed one hand on his shoulder, and one on his hip. She slowly rolled him so that he was laying on his back, so she could better inspect his wounds.

Just as she got him settled into the new position, she gasped in surprise when his hand struck out to grab her wrist. Her eyes shot up to his face, and she was even more startled to see she one honey-golden eye peek through the grime on his face briefly, before it rolled into the back of his head and his hand once again went slack. He had passed back out.

The Miko let out a sigh of relief right as Kaia stopped at her side.

' **What is it? What happened Kagome?'** Kaia asked anxiously, as she scanned her friend for any sign of wounds or distress.

"Nothing. When I rolled him over, he woke up and grabbed my arm before passing out again. It just startled me, is all." Kagome told her, petting her in order to help soothe the Tigress' worries.

Kaia calmed down as the explanation registered in her mind. Nodding, she spoke. **'Good. I was worried he had woke up and attacked you or something. We don't know this demon, after all. He could be evil incarnate for all we know.'**

Despite the seriousness of the situation, and the truth of Kaia's words, Kagome couldn't help but giggle.

"True, but if he was evil, don't you think my Miko powers, let alone our instincts, would have warned us somehow? You and I both know that if anyone or anything truly accepted evil into their hearts, my Miko powers would react." She reminded her friend.

Kaia snorted, but conceded the point, knowing that the Demon-Miko was right.

' **So what now?'** She asked, sitting beside Kagome.

Kagome thought for a minute before responding. "For now, I'm going to heal him enough to stop the bleeding, so he doesn't lose anymore and go into shock. Then, let's take him back to the hot spring and clean him up so I can patch the rest of his wounds without worrying about them getting infected- if they aren't already. He will have to stay with us in the cave, at least until he is healed."

Kaia nodded. **'Sounds like a plan. After we get to the spring, I will find the cubs and explain the situation to them. Then I will have Bali bring your backpack to the spring for you, while Gin and I hunt for more meat, since we now have one more mouth to feed. He will need as much nutrition as we can provide in order to heal properly. He looks like he's on the verge of death. Even being a demon, he will take at least a few weeks to fully heal.'**

Kagome smiled at her in gratitude before raising her hands over the male's body. They began to glow a lilac purple color as they were filled with healing energy. After a few minutes, she removes her hands, using one to wipe the beads of sweat from her face. Even though she is much more powerful than she used to be, it was still harder to heal large wounds. Especially when healing such large wounds on a demon. Because she uses her Miko Ki to heal, she must concentrate very hard on _just_ healing. Otherwise, she would wind up accidentally purifying her patient.

Then, she rose to her feet and moved to grab the male under his arms. Kaia silently moved as close as she could and laid down, so Kagome could lay him across her back. One brief struggle later-because let's face it, even though he was physically fit, he was still one _heavy_ demon, and even though Kagome was now a demon, she was just barely able to lift him- Kaia cautiously stood and they began the slow trek to the hot spring, stopping a few times along the way to readjust her passenger. Kagome walked closely beside her.

Once they got to the hot spring, Kagome helped relieve Kaia of her burden, then slowly drug the demon as close to the bank as she could without worry of him falling in. Kaia stretched her back to rid it of kinks before heading back to the cave to inform her cubs of the recent turn of events.

* * *

Kagome watched her friend leave the clearing in silence. Turning back toward her newest patient, she sighed. Kneeling, she began undressing the male, leaving him in only his Fundoshi* and cutting the leather tie from his matted hair, tossing it aside.

Just as she finished undressing him, Bali entered the clearing, holding the strap of Kagome's bedraggled yellow backpack in her mouth.

Thanking her quietly, Kagome took the proffered bag and began digging through it. She pulled out a wash cloth, two towels, her old seldom used bathing suit, a bowl, and her first aid kit. Setting down everything but the bathing suit, Kagome stood and quickly changed into it before moving her Miko garb to a safe distance away from the spring.

"Bali, will you do me a favor? Run back to the cave and bring me the small bag I keep my herbs in, please." She asked, turning to the cub.

' _Sure Kagome, no problem.'_ Bali said, getting up to do as she was bid.

"Thank you." Kagome called out after her.

Turning back to the unconscious male in front of her, she grabbed the wash cloth, dipped it into the warm water and started gently cleaning the wounds that littered his body, starting at his feet and working her way upwards.

Sometime during the impromptu bath, Bali returned and placed the bag beside Kagome, before moving a short distance away and proceeding to sunbathe, though she stayed aware of her surroundings, in the case Kagome needed her help again.

Kagome hummed as she worked. It was an old song that she could remember her mother humming while doing chores or cooking. Once she finished cleaning his wounds, she took out some healing herbs, placed them into the bowl and added a little water, grounding them into a paste. She then spread the paste over his wounds and -with the help of Bali- wrapped them in strips of cloth that she had gotten from a nearby village, to use as bandages.

When she finished, she carefully dragged him closer to the spring and allowed his head to hang over the bank so she could work on cleaning his hair and face. She tackled his hair first, as it was in more serious need of a cleaning. As she began washing it, she noted that his hair was a beautiful silver color, though she didn't look too much into it.

Hair completely clean, she finally moved on to his face. She had just gotten done wiping the dirt and grime away, when she decided to take an overall look at him. He seemed somewhat familiar to her, but it wasn't until she glanced at his now completely clean face that she realized _why_ he looked so familiar. She involuntarily gasped, bringing her hands up to cover her mouth in shock and disbelief…

Lying in front of her, was a person she had only ever seen in paintings. Someone she had _never_ thought to be able to meet in person.

It was…

 **TBC…**

* * *

 **MWAHAHAHAHAHAH!**

 ***** **Fundoshi** **–** Traditional Japanese undergarment for adult males that is usually made from a length of cotton.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

SHOUT-OUT to all my lovely reviewers! Your kind words bring me so much happiness! As promised, I made this chapter longer. Hope you guys enjoy it ^-^.

NOW, on with the show!

' _Thinking'_

"Talking"

"Demon Language"

 **'Kaia'**

 **'Gin'**

 _'Bali'_

' _ **Kagome'**_

* * *

 _ **LAST TIME**_ _:_

 _Lying in front of her, was a person she had only ever seen in paintings. Someone she had_ never _thought to be able to meet in person._

 _It was…_

 _ **NOW:**_

It was Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's _supposedly dead_ father, Inu no Taisho.

Kagome was shaken at this new revelation.

' _Oh now I'm_ definitely _getting the story as to what happened before he decides he wants to leave. I wonder what Inuyasha and Sesshomaru will say when they find out.'_ She thought, ignoring the pang in her heart at the thought of her best friend, whom she hadn't seen in years.

She was snapped out of her thoughts as Bali walked up to sit beside her.

' _What's the matter, 'Gome?'_ The cub asked.

"Nothing, I just- I recognize him. He is Inuyasha's father." She answered, not taking her eyes off the unconscious demon in front of her.

' _But I thought you said he was dead. That the_ died _the night Inuyasha was born.'_ Bali said, now also shocked. All three tigers knew about Inuyasha's story. Just as they knew the stories of all of Kagome's friends.

"He did- at least…" She paused. "We all _thought_ he did. Even Sesshomaru thought so. Hell, I've even been in the man's _grave_ for Gods' sake."

Kagome was so full of confusion and disbelief that she could barely think straight. Suddenly, she shook the thoughts away, took a deep breath, and centered herself.

"Okay, here's what we're gonna do. We will stick to the plan that your mother and I talked about. I'm assuming she told you and your brother." At Bali's nod, she continued. "Good. Once he is awake and has had time to process things, we will ask him what happened, and just take it from there. One day at a time."

With that decided, Kagome and Bali once again carefully moved him, this time away from the spring, and Kagome used the towel to dry his hair. Then she grabbed his clothes and climbed into the spring. After washing them as thoroughly as possible, she climbed out and quickly dried off with the other towel.

Changing back into her Miko garb, Kagome sent Bali to find Kaia and Gin so they could bring him back to the cave.

* * *

The next week went by in a blur for Kagome. Between caring for her still unconscious patient, doing her other daily chores, and spending time with her streak, Kagome was exhausted. The others helped where they could, knowing that she often woke up throughout the night in order to check on the injured male. Especially since the night after they found him, he developed a fever, which had finally broken only yesterday.

However, since none of them had opposable thumbs, most of the work-such as changing bandages, cooking, and washing clothes- was left up to Kagome. However, though she was tired beyond belief, she was happy to be needed by someone who, while not actually part of her past, had a direct link to it, -even if he didn't know it at the time.

At the moment, she was cooking a stew, using a pot that she had gotten from a village about a day's walk from the cave. She had the feeling that Inu no Taisho would be waking soon, and she knew that even though raw meat would be more nutritional, the broth from the stew would be easier on his stomach, since she didn't know how long it had been since he had last eaten.

' _Better safe than sorry_.' She thought, absently stirring the rabbit stew.

The tigers were out hunting again, so it was only the two of them currently in the cave. Sitting in the silence, Kagome's thought wandered to the demon laying a few feet away from her. She could definitely see where the brothers had gotten most of their good looks. Inu no Taisho was very handsome.

He was tall, well built, though not _too_ built, and he had such an undeniable presence that even unconscious she could feel the power rolling off him in waves. She had to place a barrier around the cave, both to keep away unwanted visitors, and so as to not scare the villagers that lived nearby- because _surely_ , they would feel the power, even being a day away.

She was brought out of her thoughts by a small noise. Looking around, she tried to see what made the sound. Glancing over to her patient, she was startled to see that his eyes were open, and he was staring at her.

"Hello, how are you feeling?" She asked him quietly.

"Like I've been chewed up and spit out." He replied, his deep voice husky from lack of use.

Kagome giggled. "Yes well, I would imagine so." She stood and walked over to sit beside him. She helped him sit up, before handing him a cup of tea.

"Here, this will help. It has herbs in it that will help with the pain. Are you hungry? I made some stew. The broth should be easy enough on your stomach until you are well enough to eat more substantial foods."

He quietly thanked her before sipping at the tea.

"My name is Kagome, by the way. My companion and I found you in a crater about a mile away from our cave. Could you tell me what happened?" She asked.

He sighed, finishing off the tea in one gulp. Setting the cup down, he turned to her.

"My name is Inu no Taisho. First, thank you for taking care of me. Not many Miko would do so." He then went on to explain that after saving Izayoi and Inuyasha, he fought with Takemaru using Tetsusaiga. However, as their swords clashed, he said that he remembered getting the feeling that something wasn't right, but he hadn't had time to think about it, before he heard Takemaru chanting under his breath. Suddenly, a bright flash of light covered them, and when it dissipated, they had been in a different clearing, but Takemaru was no longer human. They fought until the human turned demon managed to get a hit on Inu no Taisho. That was the last thing he could remember.

Kagome then took up the unfortunate task of explaining to him how he had somehow been sent to the future. She then went on to tell him what had become of Izayoi, as well as what all had happened with Inuyasha and Sesshomaru in the years she had known them.

Though, she didn't divulge much of Inuyasha's past, having felt it was his choice as to if he wanted his father to know or not. She did tell him about her adventures during the jewel shard hunt, as well as the story of Inuyasha and Kikyo prior to her descent into the past.

She told him about Rin and Mizuki, and even her own brief relationship with Inuyasha. She answered all of his questions, and even found herself telling him about what had happened to her a few years ago, and how she hadn't seen any of her friends in three years. Before she knew it, it was late into the night, and she was yawning every few words.

Finally, Inu no Taisho, or Taisho, as he had asked her to call him, chuckled. "Get some sleep Kagome. We can talk more on the morrow. I'm not going anywhere."

Kagome giggled, but then she realized that she had just given _years'_ worth of information to a man who should have been resting and focusing on healing, not sitting up and listening to her jabber on about things that could have waited until after he had healed more. _Especially_ since he had literally just woken up from a week-long sleep earlier that day.

She flushed in embarrassment and guilt. "I'm _so_ sorry! You just woke up, and should be resting. _Not_ listening to me drone on and on. I'll leave you alone now, so you can rest. Again, I'm really sorry."

He once again chuckled, finding her antics to be adorable. "Do not worry, Kagome. I enjoyed listening to you. I will be honest, it was a lot to take in, but talking with you, and your answering of my questions helped me to process what has occurred. While I am saddened and upset over what has happened, there is nothing I can do to change it, so I must accept it and move on."

Kagome smiled and nodded in understanding. A sudden thought had her smile disappearing. "I hate to ask, but what about Izayoi?" She didn't know how to really ask what she wanted to know. She had noticed that when she told him about Izayoi's death, he had seemed upset, but not nearly as upset as she would have expected from one who just found out that they would never see the love of their life ever again. Luckily, he had somehow known what she was trying to ask.

"Why am I not more upset, you mean?" At her sheepish not, he chuckled. "That is because I assume you were led to believe that we were completely in love, am I right?" Again, she nodded.

"I hate to inform you, but you were told wrong. I loved her sure, but as a friend, my best friend, and nothing more." He said.

"But-But if she was just your friend, then why did everyone- even Myouga and Totosai- believe you to be so in love with her? Even Sesshomaru thinks so."

"That's because we made it seem that way." At her questioning look, he explained. "You see, Izayoi's father was a very cruel man. He had planned to basically sell her to the highest paying person he could find. It so happened that, that person was Takemaru. He was lord over a large part of the East. He regularly beat and raped women, often kidnapping them, and adding them to his very large harem. A horribly despicable man to be sure.

I had happened to be patrolling my lands when I found her crying in a field. When she explained to me what her father was planning, I knew that I had to save her from such a fate. I went that same day and offered her father double what Takemaru was willing to pay. He immediately jumped on my offer, and two days later I brought her to my home."

Here he paused briefly before continuing.

"After bringing her to my home, we ran into even more problems. My court was outraged that I had brought a human into my home, and there were even a couple attempts on her life. Finally, we decided that if we entered a relationship, she would have more protection. At first, there were really no feelings on either end. However, as time went by, we developed a deep friendship, though it never went past that. One night, we both got drunk on sake, one thing led to another, and Inuyasha was conceived. Upon his conception, I married her out of honor. We both knew that it wasn't love, but we had hoped that with time, it would grow to be.

But then, Takemaru found out, and he was so outraged he declared war on the west. He enlisted the help of Ryukotsusei. He had planned on having that over grown lizard kill me, and then he would kill Ryukotsusei. Next, he would kill Inuyasha and take Izayoi for his own. He didn't expect me to live, and he grew desperate. That is when he killed Izayoi. Again, he didn't expect me to be able to bring her back to life. He was so enraged that he took me on in battle. You know the rest."

"I have a question. I told you about us finding Tetsusaiga inside the black pearl you hid in his eye, which supposedly sent us to your gravesite… If you never died, whose grave did we get sent to?" She asked, having suddenly remembered one of the questions she'd had when she first realized who he was.

Taisho sighed. "The Tetsusaiga was honesty never meant to be found. -I will be having a talk with my eldest about that, but that's neither here nor there at the moment.- Anyways, the pearl sent you to my father's grave. I hid it there thinking it would be impossible to find, unless it was someone from my direct bloodline. I can only assume that the link of the subjugation necklace between you and Inuyasha would be what allowed you to pass through as well." He explained.

Kagome nodded, as she yawned discreetly.

"Speaking of rest, why don't we both get some. We will have plenty of time talk more later." He said. By this time, Kagome was so tired that she could hardly keep her eyes open any longer. She nodded in agreement.

"Goodnight Taisho. Sleep well." She said, crawling over to her pallet, where the three tigers had fallen asleep at one point. She laid down, using Kaia as a pillow, while Gin and Bali unconsciously curled up around her to keep her warm.

"Goodnight Kagome. Sweet dreams." He responded, watching her get settled. He smiled at the obvious care they small streak in front of him obviously had for each other. He smiled wistfully, thinking of a time when he, Sesshomaru, and his first wife would curl up together like that before she passed away and Sesshomaru turned cold-hearted. Shaking those saddening thoughts from his head, he gingerly laid down on his own pallet and fell asleep.

* * *

The next week was spent with Kagome and Taisho talking and getting to know one another in between her chores. She wouldn't allow him to move around too much until he was almost healed completely. She didn't want to risk him reopening his wounds. Finally, after two weeks of being bedridden-granted one of those weeks, he was unconscious- he was allowed to get up and move around. He was so happy, having never been one to be idle for long.

The first thing he did was go hunting. He loved the game of predator and prey. It was a great way to get his blood pumping, and to relieve his restlessness.

While Taisho was hunting, Kagome took that time to take the furs that everyone had been sleeping on, and used a large branch to beat them clean of any dirt and debris that had accumulated over the last two weeks.

Once finished, she and her feline companions decided to sit outside and relax. The cool summer breeze felt wonderful un such a warm, sunny day. However, after a few minutes, the twins managed to rope Kagome into wrestling with them. Kaia couldn't help but chuckle at their antics as they chased, dodged, and pinned each other on the ground.

This is how Taisho found them when he returned. Smiling, he placed the deer he had killed in the hut to be cleaned later, before moving to sit beside the large tigress who was currently laying a safe distance away from the scuffling.

Chuckling in amusement he took a moment to study the young Demon-Miko that had caught his attention. She was currently running from the cubs, laughing as she skillfully dodged their attempts to tackle her. Her cheeks had an attractively flushed look to them from all the running, and her Sapphire eyes were twinkling in happiness. She had a large smile on her face, and she occasionally giggled when she caught the mumbled complaints from one of the cubs.

' **She sure is something, isn't she?** **'** Kaia asked him quietly. She was using the Common-Tongue language all demons instinctively understood. To humans, it sounded like a bunch of random noises, (Yips, growls, chirps, and the like, depending on the species of the demons using it.) but for demons, it was no different than if they were speaking regular Japanese.

"Yes, she is…" He allowed himself to trail off as he got lost in thought.

' **Speak, I know you have questions. I will answer what I can.'** She said, taking her eyes off the tumbling ball of fur and skin to look at the demon beside her.

"I'm intrigued, to be honest. I have never met a Miko who was so kind to demons before, let alone aDemon-Miko. I was just wondering how that occurred. I know she was not born that way. She told me last night that she was originally human, but she never elaborated further." He said after a moment of thought.

' **Well, we aren't exactly sure, really. She just slowly started taking on demonic attributes, until one day we noticed that she had completely changed into a demon. The only thing we could think of, was the fact that most of the animals here are full of demonic energy, and after coming here, Kagome started eating the meat daily. However, since humans of this time period are accustomed to the demonic energy in the animals, they filter it through their systems better than she could.**

 **This caused a slow buildup of demonic energy in her system, which slowly turned her into a Demon-Miko, as it somehow allowed her to keep her Miko ki. Of course, we have also speculated that it could have been the Shikon no Tama that helped the transformation take place, since it was reabsorbed into her body after it was completed. All of that energy had to go somewhere.'** She explained.

Taisho nodded, taking in the new information before adding his own thoughts into the mix. "I agree. Both theories are perfectly plausible. Or, it could have been a combination of the two."

Kaia just nodded. She turned back to watch her streak, waiting on him to speak the other questions that she knew he wanted to ask. She didn't have to wait long.

"I know that your kind are very picky as to who they bond with. Pray tell, what was it that made all three of you choose to bond with Kagome?" He asked.

Kaia understood that he wasn't being rude with that question. He was genuinely curious, and had only been around her Mistress for a short time, rather than the years that the three felines had known her.

' **The first time I met her, she was lying in that cave, injured and bleeding to death after she was attacked by a bandit that wanted her as a bed-mate. Even on the brink of death, she was oozing purity and innocence. That drew me to her. I had decided that I wanted to meet the one that was seemingly the purest soul on the whole island, so I healed her. After she awoke, we talked for a while.**

 **It was during that time, that I decided to take a chance on her. It was once choice that I will never regret. These last three years have been the best in my fifty years of life. Kagome is a very sweet young woman, who would never turn away a soul in need. She is brave, forgiving, and the bravest person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.'**

She paused for a minute, turning to look towards the forest.

' **Every year, she even hunts as much as she can, just so that she can store it away, to give it to the village that rests a day away from here, so they have enough food to them last them during winter. Even though they are all human, most of them love her for everything she has done to help and protect their village. The few who don't still highly respect her, and would help her out in a heartbeat, if given the opportunity.**

 **As for the cubs, by the time they were old enough to leave out on their own, they had already felt the same way I did, though they view her as a second mother. Therefore, instead of leaving, they both decided to bond with her as well.'**

Inu no Taisho was surprised to say the least. Even from the short time he had known Kagome, he knew that she was very kind, caring, and unprejudiced, but he would never have thought that she would have gone so far as to feed complete strangers for no reason other than out of the kindness of her heart. Though he shouldn't have been too surprised, seeing as how she had done practically the same thing for him, these last two weeks.

"Tell me, these friends that she spoke of… I know that she has not seen them in three years, but can I ask why?" He asked after a few minutes.

Kaia sighed. **'Before Kagome and I met, she had been randomly traveling the countryside for around six moons. Then, she was attacked by the bandit, and we met. After she was fully healed, we set out to try and find them, with no luck. After a year, I went into heat and got pregnant, so we came back here for safety reasons. Once the cubs were old enough to travel, we discussed trying again, but then, she transformed, so we postponed the trip, so she could train and get used to her new body and powers. Now, I think she is just afraid of how they will react to her. Both due to the fact that she has been gone so long, and because of her new demonic appearance.'**

Taisho nodded in understanding. He could see why Kagome would be a little apprehensive in seeing her friends again. Now, though, there was a new reason to find them. One not nearly as pleasant as catching up on three years of lost time.

* * *

Well? What do you guys think? Please R&R!


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

An big shout-out and THANK YOU to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and favorited this story! You guys keep me going. HAPPY HOLIDAYS to everyone! Sorry this chapter came out a little late, but I made it a little longer than my usual chapters, in hopes of making up for it, even just a little bit.

I apologize for any spelling or grammatical errors. I don't have a Beta, so I fix what I can, when I see it, but I'm sure I've probably missed a few.

' _Thinking'_

"Talking"

"Demon Language"

 **'Kaia'**

 **'Gin'**

 _'Bali'_

' _ **Kagome'**_

* * *

Taisho waited until after dinner that night, before deciding to try and speak privately with Kagome. He wanted to warn her of his recent line of thinking. He was worried as to what her reaction would be. Even more so after his earlier chat with the eldest tiger of the group.

Taisho looked up and across the fire, searching for the Demon-Miko in question. Seeing her lounging against Kaia, he took his chance.

"Kagome, would you mind taking a walk with me?" He asked.

Kagome looked up, surprised at the sudden question. She smiled.

"Sure." She said, nodding.

Taisho returned her smile before standing gracefully. He walked over and held out a hand to help her up. She muttered a quiet 'Thanks', releasing his hand as soon as she was steady on her feet. The two walked out of the cave, heading for the woods. After walking for a few minutes in a comfortable silence, they came upon a small clearing that was bathed in moonlight.

Steeling himself for the coming conversation, as he knew that it would inevitably cause the young woman some discomfort, Taisho sauntered into the middle of the clearing and turned toward Kagome. Motioning for her to sit, he gracefully sank to the ground, seating himself so that they were facing each other. They both sat cross-legged, and their knees were a few inches apart. Close enough to offer her silent comfort, yet far enough away that they weren't in each other's personal spaces.

He heard her sigh. "I'm not going to completely _love_ what you're about to say, am I?" She asked, sounding resigned.

He shook his head. "Probably not, but what I wish to speak to you about _is_ necessary. It could very well mean the difference between life and death for many people."

At this, Kagome's back straightened and she tensed slightly. He felt bad for being so blunt, but he also refused to sugar-coat it. He knew that she could handle what he was about to say, even though she wouldn't like it. He also knew that she would need to know the seriousness of the situation, and would appreciate the fact that he wasn't coddling her.

"Well then, let's have it." She said after a minute of tense silence.

"I believe that the world is once again in danger. I am strongly suspicious of the fact that I was alone in the clearing when you found me." He paused, trying to figure out how to phrase his next statement.

"You think that Takemaru was sent here too. That once he finds out you're alive, he will come after you again. But until then you think he will terrorize the countryside like Naraku did." Kagome interjected.

Taisho nodded, surprised, yet pleased at her deduction. "Yes. But I also think that our best bet would be to hunt down your old companions, as well as Sesshomaru, and try to fight him as one. While I am strong enough to defeat him alone, if he manages to find any of Naraku's old allies, we could be in a bind." He explained.

"But you are the most powerful demon in the lands. Is he really that powerful?" She asked.

Taisho's chest puffed slightly at her praise, but he still nodded his head. "As a human, no. But, as I said, he is no longer human. That means that I have no clue what I'll be up against until we go to battle once more. I refuse to go solitarily into a battle without any knowledge of my opponent's strength and I will take no chances when it comes to your safety, or the safety of the rest of Nihon."

Kagome nodded. She understood the gravity of the situation at hand. However, while she would love to see her friends and her son again, she was also scared of their reactions. If she were to be completely honest with herself, she was also a bit hurt at the fact that none of the had seemed to try looking for her in her absence. She pushed those feelings aside, though, because she knew from her own experience how hard it would probably have been for them to find her.

Especially since none of them knew which direction she had traveled in, nor would they have been able to track her scent after so much time had passed. While Kagome had wanted to see them all again, she had hoped it would be under much better circumstances. She knew that it couldn't be helped though, and decided that she would just do as she had been for these last three years. Take everything as it came, one day at a time.

Seeing the look of fear, but also determination on her face, Taisho opened his mouth to speak. He quickly shut it with a soft 'click' when she herself began talking.

"Alright. We will search them out. When do you want to head out? Who will we search for first, Sesshomaru, or Inuyasha and the gang?" She asked.

After a moment of thought, Taisho replied. "We will leave out in three days' time. That will give us enough time to gather any and all necessary supplies we will need while traveling. We will search out your old companions and my youngest son first. From what you have told me, I feel that Inuyasha may need longer to accept the explanation of what has happened to me before he is willing to travel under my lead as Alpha. Not only has he always been Alpha until now, but he will most probably resent the fact that I am essentially returning from the dead, and will be taking over that position. I fear that he will hold my absence in his life against me, though it was obviously not of my choosing. If he doesn't learn to push any feelings of animosity towards me aside, it could lead to deadly consequences. Should Takemaru find out or Inuyasha disobey me during a battle, just to try and prove his dominance, he could end up getting himself or someone else hurt, or even worse, dead." Here, Kagome nodded.

She knew that even if being with Mizuki had calmed Inuyasha considerably, he would still balk at the fact that his father, as far as he would know, had risen from the grave and started bossing him around, and expected Inuyasha to be okay with it. She was thankful that Taisho had also seemed to realize this, and was hopeful that when all was said and done, father and son would have at least _some_ semblance of a positive relationship.

"Then, once any matters with Inuyasha are settled, we will search out Sesshomaru. From there, we will form a plan of attack. I wish to eradicate the world of Takemaru's presence before he can lay waste to these lands like he did his own,- quite literally, in the past."

"Okay, but I have once condition." She said. At Taisho's nod, she continued. "If either of them have any small children, as in less than two years old, one or both parents have the right to stay home, if they so wish. _Without_ any persuading otherwise on anyone else's part. I will not rip any of them from their kids if it can be helped. Especially since it's very possible that they might not ever get to return home. If they want to go, then that's fine, but I won't have you or anyone else trying to force them to help us if they do not wish to." She stated firmly.

"Of course. I agree that it should be up to them, as to whether or not they wish to aid us. I would never force anyone to fight alongside me. That leads to disloyalty, which leads to betrayal or abandonment. Both of which are unacceptable. Even more so if it could have been avoided by any actions on my part." He assured her.

"Good." Kagome said. She went to say more, but was interrupted when she yawned. Chuckling, Inu no Taisho stood up, gently grabbing her elbow and bringing her up as he went.

"Come, we should be heading back. It is getting late, and we will need as much rest as possible before we start traveling." Kagome nodded, but didn't reply. Soon enough, she was once again curled up in a 'fur pile' as she called it, with Kaia and the cubs. Taisho, while sitting on his own fur pallet, watched in amusement. He ignored the slight pang of longing that stabbed through his heart at the sight. Part of him wished that he was curled up against Kagome, surrounded by his pack, or streak, as the case may be.

He had slowly come to realize that he had feelings for the young woman, which ran deeper than friendship. However, he didn't yet know just how deep those feeling ran, and he refused to try and pursue a relationship with her until he was sure of what he wanted. He was not like his youngest son, and would not play with her affections, only to cause her pain, hurting her time and time again with his indecision. Instead, he silently vowed to himself, that he would take the time that he could while on this quest to get to know her better, and try to sort out the feelings in his own heart, before trying to win hers.

With that last thought, he rolled over and closed his eyes, trying to will himself asleep.

* * *

The next few days were spent in a frenzy of cleaning, hunting, and packing. The morning after Kagome and Taisho's conversation, Kagome explained the newly made plans to Kaia and the twins. The eldest of the three took it in stride, having already known that it would happen, since she'd had her own talk with Taisho beforehand. The twins were understandably excited, seeing as this would be their first time traveling away from the caves for longer than the two day walk to the nearest village and back. They immediately started running around trying to get everything in order. The three adults laughed at their antics.

By the time the day of their departure came, Kagome and Taisho had decided that they would start out towards the Western lands, since Taisho knew them inside and out, from his time there as a ruler. Once they arrived, Taisho would ascertain their location, and they would go from there. However, as they went, they would make sure to stop off at the wolf dens and warn Kouga and Ayame of the newest threat, so they wouldn't be caught unawares, like they had with Naraku.

They would also stop by Jinenji's so Kagome could gather useful herbs that would be hard to find while on the road. She was determined to be much more prepared on this journey, than she'd been last time she had trekked across Japan searching for the bad guy. Taisho approved of this train of thought, and silently vowed to help her in any way he could.

The night before they were to leave, Taisho was sitting in the cave by himself. Kagome and her companions had just left to take a relaxing bath, and to get some more bonding in. They all knew that they would be hard-pressed for relaxation time once they start their journey, so they wanted to take this time for themselves.

Taisho understood, and didn't begrudge them this. In all actuality, part of him wished that he could join them. He had been away from his pack for a long time,-two moons before the battle, and one moon since- and to an Inu, pack was everything. He missed the times when he and his pack would sleep together and groom each other in much the same way Kagome and her streak did every night.

However, he didn't resent this fact. He knew that Kagome and the tigers weren't doing it to rub it in his face, or to show him what he was missing. In fact, they probably didn't even know how he felt about this. They were just acting the same way they had before he came along. He also wouldn't tell them of his feelings, either, no matter how much he longed to join in. He was a stranger, -granted, he had known them for nigh on a moon cycle now, but still, that was nowhere near the _years_ they'd had together to build their relationships. He had just suddenly entered their lives, and couldn't expect them to completely accept him into their tightly knit streak. Especially since he himself would have balked at the idea of doing that, himself, as recently as two months ago.

He also knew that if he _did_ tell them, Kagome would begin to feel guilty, and would either pull away from her streak in order to spare his feelings, which in turn would only hurt her and her streak more. Or worse, she would invite him to join them out of pity, which Taisho _refused_ to agree to. He would _never_ take advantage of their kindness like that, nor would he impose himself in such a way. If he did, it could very well lead to resentment from others in the streak, which in turn, could have disastrous results. He had seen firsthand, the destruction that could be caused by just one or two members turning their backs on the others in the pack.

That was how his own parents had lost their lives. They had let someone in, out of pity, and the others had turned their backs on his parents when they needed their pack the most. This lead to their needless deaths at the hands of the Panther tribe. He refused to be the cause of an upheaval such as that.

No, he would just stick it out, and deal with his pain in silence. If, and he meant _if_ Kagome and her streak wished to accept him fully, then it would be because they truly wished to, _not_ because of some misguided sense of pity or obligation.

Adding a new, non-blood-related member (not including mates) to a pack, or streak, as the case may be, was a very big decision. It was _definitely_ something that everyone involved had to agree to whole-heartedly. Pack was everything, to most demons. _Especially_ canine-based demons, such as himself.

While felines were a little more lax, seeing as most were loners, the ones that _did_ have a pack, were just as fiercely protective of them as any other demon. He could plainly see how close Kagome, Kaia, and the twins were, and he would never come between them, just to satisfy his need for a pack. He hoped to one day have another pack that he could love and care for, but until then, he would have to contend himself with being around Kagome and hers.

* * *

While Inu no Taisho was sitting in the cave having his internal conversation, Kagome and her streak were, ironically enough, having a very similar one amongst themselves.

' **So, Kagome, what do you think of Taisho?'** Kaia asked, as the two of them groomed the twins.

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked absentmindedly, as she gently brushed a tangle out of Gin's underbelly.

' **Well, I feel bad for him. I mean, one minute he is fighting to save the lives of his best friend and son, and the next, he is alone in a future where he learns he is not only thought dead by his children, but also his whole kingdom. In one day, he lost everything he has ever had, and thrust into a place that he basically knows nothing about. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?'** Kaia said.

Kagome sighed sadly. "Yeah, I know how that feels. It's similar to how I felt when I first came to this era. But I also know that it must be worse for him. Even though he is technically more prepared for this than I was back then. I mean, yeah, I had no experience in anything to do with demons, or fighting of any kind, but at least I could go back and forth. He can't exactly do that."

Kaia nodded. **'Indeed. Also, you have to think about this. He is Inu. To them, pack is everything, and to be suddenly ripped from one's pack, must be very upsetting. I must give him credit. He has taken it a lot better than most others would in his situation. He has earned my respect for his behavior, thus far.'**

"I can see how that must be upsetting. If anything were to happen to you guys, I don't know how I would handle it. I am ashamed to say that I haven't even thought about that. Looking back, he must feel awful. To see us together every day, and know that he will never be able to interact with his pack the same way, must be hell on him. Especially since, even though he's been with us for a whole moon, we haven't exactly included him in our day to day lives, other than mealtimes. If I were him, I would feel very lonely." Kagome said, feeling extremely guilty.

' **Now Kagome, I'm sure he doesn't see it like that. You need to realize that most demons don't think the same way that you do. You were born human after all, so you still have those ideals. Remember what I have taught you. Demons know what it means to have a pack. It is** _ **everything**_ **to those that have one. They are to be fiercely protected at all times, a close-knit circle of family. Outsiders are very rarely accepted into that circle. Even more rare is a case where one species accepted into a pack of a completely different species. To be accepted into a pack, without being the mate of one in the pack, is a very high honor, seeing as they literally** _ **choose**_ **to add you into their lives in such a way. To have them trust you to such an extent, is very humbling, as they would be integrated into the pack's lives in a way that would be nearly impossible to break. With this knowledge, Inu no Taisho most likely understands, as I'm sure he would have acted the same way, had the roles been switched.'** Kaia explained.

' _Yeah, Kagome. Besides, it's not like we have treated him poorly. Considering most demons, we have been more lenient than most, just by letting him live with us. Most demons would have either sent him on his way as soon as he woke up, or would have made him sleep outside and provide solely for himself. Other than our nightly bonding sessions, and our sleeping arrangements, we have practically treated him just like we would any other pack member.'_ Bali said as she began grooming her mother.

Kagome nodded thoughtfully. "True. I just feel bad that he has basically been on the outside looking in. Always close, but never there, ya know."

' **Well then, why don't we just invite him to join us. I mean, I know that it is a very important decision and all, especially since he is Inu, and they treat pack a little differently than felines, but still. He helps provide food, he is powerful, just, and wise, which means he would be a good protector, and he seems to hold no racial grudges against us just because we are a different species. He has proven that he would make a good alpha, if he were to join us. Which he would be, seeing as he'd be the strongest male in the streak, just like you are the alpha female, for much of the same reason.'** Gin piped up.

"That is a good idea, but would he even _want_ to be part of our streak? I mean, we _are_ different species' and all." She asked dubiously.

Kaia rolled her eyes. **'You'll never know if you don't ask him. Besides, like Gin said, he has already been acting like an alpha male should. He has provided our food since he woke up, and while he hunts, he also patrols the area around the cave to keep other demons away. He even went so far as to take the time to completely explain to you what he was thinking, and why, the other day, rather than just tell you like it is, and expect you to accept and get over it. He has been caring for us, the way a good alpha should, and I bet he doesn't even realize it, just as you didn't.'**

This revelation took Kagome by surprise, but the more she thought over the past month since Taisho had been with them, the more she realized that Kaia was right. She felt like an idiot for not seeing it sooner. It didn't bother her that he had been doing so. In fact, she was sort of relieved that he had already taken the initiative, even if he had done so subconsciously. For some reason she couldn't explain, the Demon-Miko didn't want Taisho to leave. She enjoyed his company, and already valued his friendship a great deal.

Kagome smiled, looking at the three tigers surrounding her. "Does this mean we all agree to make him a part of our streak?" She asked, though she already knew the answer.

At the twins' enthusiastic nods, and Kaia's chuckling, she knew that they were all agreeing wholeheartedly.

Looking up at the sky, Kagome realized that it had gotten quite late, while they had been talking.

"We better get going, before our alpha comes looking for us." She said, grinning. She secretly liked how that sounded.

* * *

Taisho was pacing the cave. He was beginning to get worried. It was very late, and he hadn't seen nor heard from Kagome and her streak since they left for their grooming session, around dusk.

Just as he was about to go looking for them, he heard laughing. Sighing in relief, he leaned against the cave wall in feigned nonchalance. When the four entered the cave, they greeted him, like they did every night. Taisho returned their greetings, and looked away as they settled on their pallet. He couldn't bare to look at them, after what he had been thinking of while they had been gone. It just suddenly hurt too much. He turned to leave, but was stopped by Kagome's soft voice.

Wide-eyed, Taisho froze briefly, before turning around so quickly, he almost gave himself whiplash. He saw her sitting up, looking at him nervously, though he could see the resolve and determination in her eyes. There was a look of vulnerability to her that made his heart ache a bit. He could also see that the tigers around her were looking at him expectantly.

"Wh-what did you say?" He asked hesitantly, almost afraid that he had heard wrong.

"Join us." She repeated.

Taisho's heart leapt in his throat. He didn't want to ask these next two questions, but he had to know for sure.

"Are you sure? Do you realize what you are asking?"

Kagome nodded slowly. "Yes we are, and yes, I do. The question is, what will you do?"

At this, Taisho smiled widely. Relief, gratitude, and many other emotions flooded his system all at once and left him reeling. Slowly, he made his way over to their pallet. When he reached them, they all made room for him. As he laid down in the middle, beside Kagome, Gin -who was on his left side, scooted closer to him, nuzzling him for a moment before laying back down to sleep. Taisho turned on his side to face Kagome.

"Thank you…You will never know just how much this means to me." He whispered, swallowing hard in order to keep his voice from cracking with the emotions he was still feeling.

Kagome just smiled, reaching up, slowly releasing the leather strip that kept his hair in its usual high ponytail position. She then began running her fingers through his hair. Taisho closed his eyes in bliss. For the first time in months, he felt a sense of peace wash over him. He soon began making a soft growling noise that was eerily similar to a purr.

Kagome bit her lip to keep from giggling at the sound. She didn't want to disturb the quiet, though. Instead, she just continued to relax, combing her fingers lightly through Taisho's surprisingly soft hair. She let the gentle sounds of the night lull her to sleep.

Before they knew it, the now streak of five were all sleeping peacefully. A luxury that would be very hard to come by, once they got on the road.

* * *

Well? What do you guys think? R&R!


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

* * *

I'm sooooo Sorry that it's been taking so long between updates! Work, life, and writer's block have all been equally kicking my ass, lol. Not to mention both the beginning and the ending of a new relationship (although I won't go into details)…But anyways, I've powered through it all in order to give you guys this chapter as quickly as I could. THANK YOU ALL for being so kind and patient. Your reviews, favs, and follows mean the world to me!

*****ALSO, I know that it might get a little confusing, but, Taisho will refer to the streak as a Pack, simply because he, being a canine, is more used to that word. Kagome, Kaia, Gin, and Bali will still refer to it as a streak, though. I'm sorry if this confuses some people. I swear I think it makes more sense in my head, than it does on screen, lol. Anyways, just know that in this context, PACK and STREAK mean the SAME THING, no matter who is using the word.

Now, enough of my jabbering, ON WITH THE SHOW!

' _Thinking'_

"Talking"

" _Whispering_ "

"Demon Language"

 **'Kaia'**

 **'Gin'**

 _'Bali'_

' _ **Kagome'**_

* * *

The next day found Taisho, Kagome, and the tigers traveling through the village closest to where their cave sits. It was the same village that Kagome and the felines had traveled to many times in the past, and would often get supplies they needed that couldn't be found or made in the wild, such as parchment, or fabrics.

The newly grown streak of four had unanimously decided to get some things from it as well as inform the head of the village that their unofficial Miko wouldn't be around for an undetermined amount of time. Kagome felt this was needed, considering that they would always come to her with their ill and injured villagers. They deserved to know that she wouldn't be home, so they wouldn't waste time looking for her, only to find that she was nowhere around. That time could potentially be the difference between life and death. Something Kagome knew for a fact. It could very well only take seconds for things to go from bad to worse.

As they walked through the center of the village, Taisho could hear the whispers of the villagers, but tuned them out as he was used to doing. He had perfected that art when he was still Lord of the Western Lands. However, he soon found himself listening in when he heard Kagome's name mentioned.

" _There goes Tora no Miko. She seems to have a new companion with her this time. I wonder what they're here for. It's highly unusual; Lady Kagome's already been here this season, I didn't expect her back until next season. Must be important, whatever it is."_ This came from a male, who was seemingly talking to his wife.

" _I'm not sure dear, but it is strange to see them twice in one season, especially with someone else. Maybe they're going n a journey. They do all have large packs on, after all."_ The woman replied.

Hearing nothing else of importance, Taisho tuned back into what was going on in front of him, only to see that Kagome was already speaking to an elderly man, who held himself in a way that instantly let Taisho know that he was indeed the Head of the village.

The conversation ended quickly, with a quick 'Goodbye, and good luck.' From the Head, and then the foursome were moving towards the small marketplace, in order to make their needed purchases.

* * *

An hour later, Kagome, Taisho, Kaia, and the twins were finally on their way. As soon as they were outside the viewpoint of the village, Kagome stopped, pulled out what looked like a scroll, opened it, and laid it on the ground. She then chanted something under her breath, and the scroll glowed blue for a split second. Taisho was surprised, and curious as to what her reasons for this were. Looking at the felines, he realized it must be a common enough occurrence that they all seemed as if nothing were happening.

Just as he opened his mouth to question her, Kagome looked up at him with a small smile.

"This is an enchanted scroll. I'm not sure if there is another known way to do this, as I came u with the spell on my own, but essentially, this scroll is a bottomless hole. We can place anything we want in it, and the scroll itself will remain as light as a feather. It's very useful for traveling. I came up with this idea during our first journey to find my friends." She explained, pointing between herself and Kaia for the last part.

"Also, to retrieve an item out of it you just picture the item in your head, reach in, and grab. You will never fail to pull out whatever it is you envisioned, so long as it's in the scroll in the first place." She added.

Taisho nodded. He was proud of her for her achievement in this regard. Although he knew for a fact that there _were_ more items such as this one, he was proud of the fact that not only did she think of this on her own, but she also took the time and effort needed to _create_ the spell in the first place. Not many would have thought to do something like that, nor would they have seriously tried, had they gotten the idea.

It made him even more proud to have her as Alpha Female of his pack.

"What an ingenious idea, Kagome. While I admit there are more such items, I'm highly impressed that you were able to create this on your own, and in such short time. Not many have the privilege of saying the same, and those that do, have dedicated several years of trial and error, before being able to claim the achievement." Taisho said, honestly.

Kagome blushed at such praise, but true to her nature, she brushed it off with a simple, albeit shy 'Thanks.' To which Taisho just nodded, seeing her slight embarrassment. He dropped the subject, but thought to himself that her blush made her look very attractive. He silently vowed to make her do it more often.

He watched in slight amazement when Kagome then proceeded to put everyone's cargo into the scroll besides their water skins, which they would be using regularly, though sparingly. She then pocketed it, and the four went on with their journey, in a companionable silence.

* * *

The four companions had been traveling for over a week before reaching the Western Lands. Once there, Taisho knew it wouldn't be long before they were visited upon by his eldest son. Sure enough, they had been in the Western lands for all of two and a half hours, when they all felt the tell-tale sign of Sesshomaru's Youki heading their way.

As soon as Kagome felt his Youki, she froze. She was equal parts excited, and anxious. She and Sesshomaru had once been close friends. He had traveled with them for a time, back when they were searching for the shards, and the two of them had slowly developed mutual respect for each other, which later turned into a deep friendship, and then into a sibling bond. She couldn't wait to catch up with him on all the goings on in each other's lives.

However, like the others, she hadn't seen him in over three years. She was nervous, as to his reaction. Not only would they be seeing each other for the first time in years, but he would also need to learn the truth about his father. She was afraid he wouldn't take THAT news very well, but she could always hope for the best, even if she was subconsciously preparing for the worst.

A small part of her was also curious as to whether or not he had ever looked for her, even if she was scared to learn that maybe he hadn't. She also wanted to ask about Shippo and the others, but didn't know if she would have the courage, once she was facing him.

A gentle nudge from Kaia brought her out of her overwhelming thoughts. Kagome smiled at her in thanks as she began petting the elder demoness. Slowly, the repetitive motion calmed her down enough that she no longer felt like she was drowning in her emotions.

* * *

Taisho placed a hand on her shoulder as a gesture of comfort. "It will be alright, Kagome. We will hopefully soon be traveling with Sesshomaru, and there will be plenty of time to ask your questions." He said, trying to reassure her. He was happy to see that she relaxed even more at his words, although her shoulders were still slightly tense.

He knew about her relationship with his eldest, and what it was that made her so tense. Nevertheless, he also knew that she would have nothing to worry about. If he knew anything about his son, it's that once he cares about someone, he is fiercely loyal, and only something he sees as a complete betrayal, would cause him to dismiss that relationship. Due to the circumstances, he knew that Sesshomaru wouldn't hold something like this against Kagome.

He did wonder though, what had prevented Sesshomaru from finding her in the first place? He knew it wasn't because she had supposedly been traveling all this time. It must have been important, in order to keep him from traveling to find her. Taisho knew that Sesshomaru was capable of finding anyone, if he desired to enough. So why not seek out Kagome in all this time?

He wasn't able to ponder this line of thought for long before his son suddenly dropped from the sky, landing only a few feet from the streak.

Taisho slowly removed his hand from Kagome's shoulder after one last squeeze. No sooner had he released her, did she bolt forward, and throw herself at Sesshomaru, hugging him for all she was worth, crying and babbling the whole time.

To his ultimate surprise, Sesshomaru slowly returned the hug, bending down to put his face in the crook of her neck, before moving to nuzzle her cheek. Both were signs of affection, as well as scent marking. Taisho realized right then, that even if he never admitted it, Sesshomaru had missed Kagome just as much as she had missed him.

When he finally got over his shock, he smiled. Sesshomaru had always been a loner, and to see him acting such a way, especially in front of others, was something he had never thought he would get to see. He silently gained the attention of the rest of his new pack, and had them all move far enough away to give the two some semblance of privacy.

* * *

As soon as Kagome saw Sesshomaru, she couldn't help the rush of emotion that flowed through her. She started tearing up as he stared at her. When she felt Taisho remove his hand, it was like something inside her snapped, and before she knew it, she was hugging her friend, muttering incoherently, as she sobbed into his chest.

She felt him return the hug tightly, as he scented her. She held onto him for dear life as three years of pent up emotions came pouring out of her. She slowly calmed down as Sesshomaru began caressing her hair. Once she had calmed down to just sniffles, she pulled back far enough to look at his face.

"You have changed much, in these last three years, Imouto." He said quietly. Kagome sent him a watery smile.

"Yes. There is much to tell you, Aniki." She said quietly.

Nodding, Sesshomaru smirked "Indeed. There is much that I must inform you of as well."

Kagome returned his nod. "Alright, but if you don't mind, I want you to meet some people first."

At this, Sesshomaru glanced over at the others in the clearing. However, his eyes were immediately drawn to the one person he had never thought he'd see again.

"Father?" He asked, almost incredulously. He had previously missed the older male's presence, due to the shock of seeing his little sister for the first time in so long. He allowed Kagome to pull him closer to the others, stopping once they were an arm's length away from one another.

"But how?" Sesshomaru turned to Kagome for answers, but it was his father that answered.

"That, my son, is a very long, very _complicated_ story. Shall I start from the beginning?"

* * *

Imouto- Little Sister

Aniki- Older Brother

AN/ Sorry if Sesshomaru seemed really OOC. I'm not good at the 'cold Sesshomaru' thing, so I tend to make him very OOC in my stories.

Please forgive the shortness of this chapter, as well as the Cliffhanger!

ALSO…

I want you guys to do me a favor and help me out with something… I'm going to take votes as to if I should add to the streak in the next few chapters…

I'm thinking, maybe a demon wolf (not like Kouga, more like the actual wolves that travel with him sometimes), but I'm not too sure. Please review or PM me and let me guys know what you think, and if you have any suggestions as to a different animal altogether, or maybe even a specific person, feel free to add that as well.

I will END the voting when I post chapter 9 (although I have no clue when that will be, so it will give you guys plenty of time to vote ^-^), and until then, I will have the current polls listed at the end of the chapter. Everyone can vote up to 2 times per suggestion.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hey guys, guess what... I'M NOT DEAD! (^-^) I'm sorry for the wait…I want to give a big THANK YOU to all of my VERY PATIENT reviewers, Favs, and Followers for sticking with me and my story, even though I don't get to post NEARLY as often as I hope to.

I also want to give a special SHOUT-OUT to Alyssa, A.K.A. Monkey! I'm glad you like my story!

Also, it had come to my attention that I have not mentioned Rin in any way. Honestly, I just have no clue how to fit her into the story at the moment, so for now just assume that no one has met her yet. I MIGHT add her in later, but as of right now, I don't have any actual plans to. Sorry for all you Rin fans out there, please don't kill me! *Ducks behind tree*

Now, as for the Poll, here are the votes so far:

 **Demon wolf pup-2**

 **Demon pup (as in a dog, instead of a wolf)-1**

 **Another tiger cub-1**

 **Dog version of Kilala (would that be considered an Inumata? Lol)-1**

 **Another person-1**

 **Demon Fox (Not like Shippo, but an actual fox)-1**

Please continue to vote. The voting period will end when I post CH. 9… On which, I will announce the winner of the Poll. Also, as a reminder, you can only vote twice per suggestion, BUT you can vote for as many different suggestions as you would like. You can even go back to previous chapters, and add your votes there, if you want.

Now, without further ado, ON WITH THE SHOW!

' _Thinking'_

"Talking"

" _Whispering_ "

"Demon Language"

 **'Kaia'**

 **'Gin'**

 _'Bali'_

' _ **Kagome'**_

* * *

By the time everything was explained to Sesshomaru, it was well past sunset, and the slightly enlarged group all sat around a campfire, which Kagome had built.

Silence reigned as Sesshomaru came to terms with everything he just learned. It was quite a lot to take in, and he in all honestly, had no clue what to say. He had so many different emotions running through him at the moment, that he couldn't name them all even if he tried. The most predominant ones were confusion, anger, and relief.

He was confused on how he was supposed to act now, knowing that his father was indeed alive. He had spent so many years hating his father for dying for a human wretch and their bastard child, that this new turn of events had thrown the unmovable Killing Perfection for a loop. However, all that hatred couldn't just disappear overnight. It would take him a while to get used to the fact that his father was alive, as well as the fact that apparently, he had been doing an honorable thing by saving Izayoi from a fate worse than death, even though it had meant he would receive the hatred and scorn from not only his subjects, but his own son as well.

Sesshomaru respected his father for acting in such a way, and even felt guilt, for not letting his father explain in the first place, all those years ago. Much pain and grief from both sides could have been avoided if Sesshomaru had only taken his head out of his ass for a few moments, and let his father explain when Taisho had tried to, the day he had brought Izayoi into their home for the first time.

Sesshomaru felt anger towards Takemaru for taking his father away from him in the first place, although he knew now that it just wasn't in the way everyone had thought. He was also angery towards himself for acting like such a selfish, childish fool back then.

He felt happiness and relief at knowing that not only was his father alive and well, but that his best friend, his sister, was also alive. Everyone had feared the worst after so long and no word. He, Shippo, and Inuyasha had all tried searching for her, but had had no luck. After two years, and still no word, they had all assumed her dead.

It had been a very hard day for all of them. Shippo had been so heartbroken he had cried for days, before locking away his emotions. He had locked himself in his room and refused to come out without a direct order from Sesshomaru, his Alpha. Even now, he was very withdrawn, and would hardly talk to anyone unless absolutely necessary.

Sesshomaru had become even colder and more withdrawn than usual, although he had still made sure to regularly check up on all of her friends.

Inuyasha had raged for hours, before his mate was able to calm him down, although he still refused to believe that she was dead, often saying 'She's too stubborn to die'.

Miroku had grieved in his own way, but he'd had to stay strong for Sango, whom had nearly killed herself with grief. She had at one point refused to eat, and became so sick, they thought they would lose her too. Luckily, Miroku and their children had been able to help her through it, although she was still not back to her old self. Her smiles remained dim, and Miroku had once told him that she still cried herself to sleep some nights, when she thought no one would hear her.

When Sesshomaru had finally gotten his bearings enough to inform her of this, Kagome was so full of guilt and sadness that she couldn't help but cry. She had never meant to cause so much hurt to her friends and family. She felt like such a horrible person for letting them all think she was dead for so long. She shouldn't have been so selfish as to have stayed away for so long. She should have tried looking for them as soon as the twins were old enough to travel.

"I'm so sorry Aniki, I feel so horrible for what you all went through. I was being selfish in my thoughts and worries over you guys' reactions to my transformation, when all you were worried about was whether or not I was even alive." She sobbed.

Kaia and the twins all moved to surround her in attempts to console her, but they were upset to realize it wasn't working. Not even Taisho seemed to be able to calm her down, as he reached over to run his fingers through her hair. Finally, Sesshomaru couldn't take it anymore and moved to pick her up. Placing her in his lap, bridal style, he rocked her while growling softly.

Immediately, she started to calm down. After her sobs turned into hiccups, Sesshomaru spoke.

"It's alright, Imouto. All that matters is that you are safe, happy, and healthy. I'm sure the others will be just as happy to see you, and will feel the same as I do in that regard. Just wait, as soon as they all find out that you're still alive, they will all be jumping for joy." He was happy to hear her giggle at his last comment.

"Come now, Kagome. I didn't spend all this time worrying over you, just to have you crying over something you had no control over, nor can you change." He said. Kagome nodded against his chest, pulling away enough to look him in the face.

"You're right, I'm sorry Aniki." She said, nuzzling under his chin in apology. He nuzzled her back in acceptance, before releasing her. "There is a hot spring close by, why don't you and your companions go bathe and relax. I have some things I wish to speak to my father about." Kagome nodded and silently stood up from his lap. She grabbed her pack and headed towards the scent of sulfur and water, the tigers trailing behind her.

Once she was out of earshot, Sesshomaru turned to his father.

"Tell me, what are your feelings towards Kagome?"

Taisho chuckled. "Always straight to the point, aren't you, son."

"I see no reason in beating around the bush. It just prolongs the explanations that I desire." Sesshomaru replied.

Taisho sighed, deciding to be honest. "I don't know what my feelings are regarding the Miko. I am thankful she saved me and took me in. I am happy that she has welcomed me with open arms into her Pack, or Streak, as she calls it. I am constantly surprised at her character, and how she is so inherently kind to all that she meets, yet she can also be tough when the situation calls for it. I will admit to having an attraction towards her, but as of yet, I do not know how far that attraction goes. However, I refuse to act on these feelings until I know for certain what exactly they are. She has informed me of the many suitors she has had in the past, as well as her relationship with your brother, and I will not harm her in such a way. I have more control over myself than to string the poor girl along while trying to figure myself out. I am not Inuyasha. Until then, I will act as her friend and alpha. Nothing more."

Sesshomaru nodded slightly in acceptance. He was pleased with his father's answer. He had seen how his father looked at her, and had even noticed a brief flash of jealousy enter the elder demon's eyes as he had calmed the Miko down. He had been more than relieved to know that his father wouldn't treat the girl as his foolish half-brother once had-harming her with his indecision between whether or not what he felt was true attraction and the love of a mate, or that of a family member or close friend. He never wanted to see her in that much pain over a male ever again, and he'd be damned if he would let his own father be the cause of it.

After a few minutes of silence, the two started discussing their plans on how to deal with the newest threat to the world. They both decided that come morning, they would travel to the Western castle and pick up Shippo-which would be a pleasant surprise for both Kagome and the young kitsune. Then after spending a day at the castle, they would all head towards Inuyasha's village first, and then to the Slayer's village, to retrieve the rest of the former Inutachi. They would then head East and inform Kouga and his tribe of the new threat. In all, it would take a little over a month to get everything done, if they traveled by foot. Afterwards, they would all begin the hunt for the Human-turned-Demon that could possibly grow to become the next Naraku, if given enough time. That was something that neither of the two were willing to chance.

With plans made, father and son went hunting for their dinner. They had just come back with a nice sized deer each, which had already been skinned and gutted, when Kagome and the felines of the group finally returned from their grooming session. Both were happy to see Kagome in much higher spirits than when she had left for the springs.

Before either of them could speak, however, Kagome shooed them off, so they could take their own baths while she finished preparing dinner.

* * *

 _Earlier, with Kagome and the tigers at the hot springs_

Kagome stripped and got into the water, so she could relax for a few minutes. She was exhausted from her crying fit, and embarrassed that it had happened in front of Taisho. Even though he was now a part of their streak, she couldn't help but wish he hadn't been there to witness her momentary lapse of control.

' **Are you alright Kagome?'** Kaia asked her. The miko turned towards her companions, who were all laying at the edge of the spring, only a few feet away from where she was soaking.

' _ **I'm fine now, thanks. I'm sorry to make you guys worry like that. I just couldn't help it. I still feel horrible about putting them through what I have.'**_ Kagome said, having decided to use her mind speech. She didn't trust her actual voice at the moment. She felt like she might burst out in tears again if she tried talking out loud.

' _It's alright Kagome. But I don't think you should feel so bad about it. I mean, it's not like you knew what was going on. Besides, you haven't exactly had an easy time of it lately, either.'_ Bali said, moving closer so she could nuzzle her Alpha's head.

' **Bali's right, 'Gome. I don't think any of them will hold it against you either, once you explain to them what all has happened. Like Sesshomaru said, they will all just be thankful you are alive and well. They won't be upset with you over something like this when they would be much happier knowing you're ok. I'm not saying that your worries are unfounded, but you also need to put more faith in their love for you. They aren't going to turn you away after all this time. ESPECIALLY when they have believed you to be dead for over a year now. Just the fact that they've suffered so much in the first place, should tell you how much they care for you. ' **Gin stated as he too, moved closer to Kagome.

Kagome was surprised at his insight. She hadn't even thought of that. Smiling, she reached up and hugged the twins tightly.

"Thank you. Both of you. I really needed to hear that. And you're right, I shouldn't be worrying over something I can't change. I should be looking towards the future, and trust that they will all be just as happy to see me as I will be to see them. They wouldn't want me to be getting so upset over something like this. Oh, I can't _wait_ to see everyone again!" She smiled, finally able to be excited over the thought of seeing her loved ones again. She felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulder.

She released the twins from her hug and slid out of the water, so they could all finally begin their nightly grooming ritual. When they were finished, they foursome headed back towards their camp.

* * *

A/N: Another short chapter… Don't worry though, hopefully the next chapters will be longer.

Sorry there isn't much dialogue between the descriptions, you guys. I hope you still enjoy it anyways!

Please R&R!


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Hey guys! Aren't you shocked? I ACTUALLY POSTED A CHAPTER ON TIME! Here it is, the long-awaited reunion between Kagome and Shippo.

Also, as a warning, Sesshomaru is very OOC in this chapter. Hope you guys don't mind too much. Anyways, enough of my jabbering, please enjoy, and don't forget to R&R!

Again, I have no Beta, so I'm sorry for any mistakes. I went through and tried to fix them all, but I could have very easily missed some.

SHOUT-OUT to all my favs, reviewers, and followers!

Now, as for the Poll, here are the votes so far:

 **Demon wolf pup-3**

 **Demon pup (as in a dog, instead of a wolf)-1**

 **Another tiger cub-1**

 **Dog version of Kilala (would that be considered an Inumata? Lol)-2**

 **Another person-1**

 **Demon Fox (Not like Shippo, but an actual fox)-2**

Please don't forget to vote. The voting period will end when I post CH. 9… On which, I will announce the winner of the Poll. Also, as a reminder, you can only vote twice per suggestion, BUT you can vote for as many different suggestions as you would like. You can even go back to previous chapters, and add your votes there, if you want.

Now, without further ado, ON WITH THE SHOW!

' _Thinking'_

"Talking"

" _Whispering_ "

"Demon Language"

 **'Kaia'**

 **'Gin'**

 _'Bali'_

' _ **Kagome'**_

* * *

The next morning found Kagome, her streak, and Sesshomaru walking towards the Western Castle. She was equal parts anxious, guilty, and excited.

She was anxious and excited to see her son again, and let him know that she was indeed, alright. However, she also felt guilt over the fact that he thought she was dead in the first place, as well as the extreme changes in his personality that Sesshomaru had informed her of the night before. She felt that it was completely her fault that it happened. She sincerely hoped that once he knew she was alright, he would return to his former, happy and bubbly self.

She wasn't naïve. She knew that no matter what, he wouldn't be exactly the same, but she could hope that he would at least change for the better. The world didn't need two Sesshomarus. _It might combust… Or freeze over._

She giggled at that thought. Oblivious to the looks her traveling companions were sending her, Kagome continued in her musings. Suddenly, she looked up at Sesshomaru, who was walking in front of her.

"Aniki, how much farther are we from the castle?" She asked him.

Pausing briefly, Sesshomaru answered her without looking back. "If we continue to walk at this pace, we will arrive in two days' time."

Even though he couldn't see her, Kagome nodded.

Then, she got an idea; She wanted to play a game. After briefly speaking to Kaia and the twins, she turned to Taisho, who was walking beside her and gently tugged on his sleeve to get his attention.

Bending down to her height, Taisho had to stifle the urge to shiver in delight as the Demoness Miko at the feeling of her hot breath as she began whispering in his ear. Hearing her plans, he couldn't help but chuckle. His son was in for a surprise.

Nodding to let her know he was agreeable, she grinned mischievously as she began creeping up behind Sesshomaru.

She moved silently, closing in on her unsuspecting prey. Within seconds, she was upon him. And then, she struck.

* * *

"You're it!" Came a loud voice from behind him. Sesshomaru froze as he felt her tap him on his shoulder. Turning his head to look at his heart sister in surprise, he couldn't help but stare at her in confusion. She was standing just behind him with a Cheshire grin plastered on her face. Then it clicked. Smirking, he turned his body to face her. Bending down, he whispered one word in her ear.

"Run."

Kagome squeaked, before turning and running like a bat out of hell, and without a second's pause, Sesshomaru was hot on her heels.

Taisho shook his head in amusement as he watched the Miko and his son get caught up in a game of tag, listening to the bouts of laughter and little squeals from her, when Sesshomaru got too close, as well as the deep chuckles and surprisingly enough, short barks of laughter that came from his son.

Yes, it was a childish game. However, he also knew that it was something the two of them needed. They needed a chance to have fun and let go of their worries. To reassure themselves that the other was there, alive and well, by being together and doing something familiar. He knew from the Miko's stories that she would often play this game with her son whenever given the chance. Sesshomaru had never gotten roped into the game back when he had traveled with the Inutachi, but right now, that was exactly what he needed, and somehow, Kagome instinctively knew that.

When pups are young, they often play and roughhouse with the other pups around, and Sesshomaru had been no different. However, after the death of his mother, the young pup had slowly turned into the cold, distant male he was now. It warmed Taisho's heart greatly, to see that, the ice around his eldest son's heart had finally melted. He had finally learned the answer to the question that Taisho had asked him that fateful day.

 _Do you have something to protect?_

Yes. His heart-sister, the Miko-Demoness Kagome.

* * *

Hours later, Kagome and Sesshomaru had exhausted themselves, and were now lying in a heap next to a fire that Taisho had built once it was clear they weren't leaving any time soon. Taisho and the felines of the group were gone for the moment, hunting for everyone's supper.

"Imouto…" Sesshomaru started questioningly, as he moved onto his side to look at her, propping his head on his hand.

"Yes Aniki? What is it?" She answered, mirroring his movements.

"What are your feeling for my father?" He asked, deciding to get straight to the point.

Immediately, Kagome blushed, before sighing. "I honestly don't know. I mean, I like him, but we haven't known each other very long. He is a great person, but I don't know how he views me. He keeps sending mixed signals." She stated truthfully, rolling on her back to look up at the night sky.

"What do you mean?" Sesshomaru asked, confused.

"Well, for instance, sometimes during our grooming sessions, it feels as though he is spending extra time on me and treating me differently than the rest of the streak; Almost like how you would treat a mate. But later, he acts like nothing is out of the ordinary. And sometimes, I would almost _swear_ he is staring at me, but whenever I look, he is always looking somewhere else. I don't know. Maybe I'm just imagining things or reading too much into it, but it confuses me. I do know that I refuse to act or treat him any other way than I do now, until I know for sure, though. I'll not put myself back out there, just to get hurt again. I learned the hard way and will not repeat the same mistakes I did with Inuyasha." She said with conviction.

Sesshomaru smiled at her, his chest filling up with pride at her attitude.

"Very wise choice, Imouto. Just remember, even though you aren't actively looking to advance your relationship with Father, doesn't mean you should completely close your heart to him either. He is very honorable, and if he decides to give his heart to you, you will have no doubt that it is yours, and yours alone. Give it time. What will be, will be." He said.

Kagome nodded, but stayed silent. She could sense the rest of her streak returning.

Sesshomaru let the matter drop, knowing that the subject of their discussion was now within hearing distance.

After a few minutes of silence, Gin and Bali came sprinting out of the woods and jumped on Kagome. This soon turned into anther round of tag. This time, though, everyone was eventually roped into playing. Even Taisho, though the adults took turns keeping watch on the meat, so it didn't burn. Once dinner was finished, everyone ate their fill and retired for the night. Unlike the night before, they all slept in a 'Pack pile' as Taisho called it. Kagome was in the middle, while Kaia slept at her head, allowing the Miko to use her belly as a pillow. One either side of the woman, was Gin and Bali. Sesshomaru slept beside Gin, while Taisho took up the other end, sleeping beside Bali.

* * *

Kagome was awakened by the sun shining in her eyes. She yawned, smiling softly when she looked around at the sleeping forms of her streak. Slowly, so as not to wake up the others, she slipped out of the pile of bodies and stood.

Silently, she walked over to the dying fire and minutes later, had it once again going strong. She spitted the remaining meat from last night and set it up to cook. Hearing rustling behind her, she turned to see Kaia approaching her.

' _ **Good morning'**_ She said.

' **Good morning Kagome. I trust you slept well?'** Kaia responded.

Kagome nodded. _**'Yes. How was your sleep?'**_

' **Very well, thank you. How are you feeling?'** Kaia asked, sitting down beside her streakmate.

' _ **Depends on what you're talking about.'**_ Kagome sighed.

She heard Kaia chuckle in her mind **'I'm talking about the upcoming reunion.'**

Kagome sighed again. _**'Honestly? I'm stressing out. I mean, I'm excited to see my son again, but I'm scared that he will be angry at me for making him worry that the worst has happened. I just don't want him to hate me.'**_

Kaia leaned against Kagome's side in support. **'Kagome, I hope this doesn't sound cruel, but you need to stop overthinking this. Remember what I said before. You put too little faith in the power of the love that everyone holds for you. Yes, there is the possibility that your kit will be mad for a while, but he will** _ **never**_ **hate you. He will be happy that you are alive and will understand once you** **explain your side of things to him. All it takes is time, and you my dear Miko-Demoness, have nothing but.'**

' _ **I know. You're right, I'm sorry. I just can't help but put too much thought in such things. I don't know why,"**_ Kagome said.

Kaia stayed silent. She believed _she_ knew why but refused to say so out loud.

After everything she had been told about Inuyasha, and how he had treated Kagome, she felt that it was his fault her friend had such little confidence in herself, and worried so much about the reactions of those around her.

Although Kagome had never said so out loud, Kaia knew by reading between the lines that at certain points, Inuyasha had been borderline cruel in his treatment of her until the two had decided to stay friends. Even then, however, to say he still hadn't been the nicest would have been putting it mildly.

Even after all the time they had spent traveling together, Inuyasha had still refused to call Kagome by her given name, well up to the time she left to travel by herself. He had always resorted to calling her 'Wench, Idiot, or Bitch', among various others.

' _What I wouldn't give to see that Hanyou be taught a lesson on how to treat others… Or better yet, do the teaching myself.'_ The tigress thought, an evil glint entering her eyes.

The two females fell into a companionable silence, each lost in thought, until the others started rousing from their sleep. The smell of cooking meat awakening them. After breakfast was eaten, they all cleaned up camp and went on their way.

* * *

Three days later, they finally arrived at the Western Castle around midday. They all went inside, where Kagome and Taisho were given rooms (The tigers would be sharing Kagome's room) and left to clean up before Kagome was to be reunited with her son.

After her bath, Kagome, Kaia, Gin, and Bali were all shown to the study by a servant. Upon entering, they saw that Taisho and Sesshomaru were all present.

It was decided that Kagome would stay hidden while Shippo was introduced to Taisho first. Then Sesshomaru and Taisho would leave Shippo 'alone' in the study, so that when she revealed herself, she and Shippo would be able to reunite in relative privacy, since the Tora would all be with her as well, though they would be staying hidden until Kagome called them out.

They were to stay within lunging distance just as a precaution, in case Shippo thought it to be a trick and attacked. Sesshomaru didn't think it would happen, but it was better to err on the side of caution in such a delicate situation as this. Even he didn't know exactly how the Kitsune would react.

Sesshomaru had Shippo summoned to the study. While waiting on his arrival, Kagome used a barrier to hide her scent and aura, as well as those of her protectors, and moved to the far corner of the study, where she would remain unseen until Sesshomaru and Taisho left.

When Shippo finally entered, Kagome immediately had to bite back a gasp. Shippo, her rambunctious, happy-go-lucky kit, had grown up into a handsome male. His long red hair was held in a high ponytail, though the end reached his waist. He was the same height as Sesshomaru and looked every bit as poised and deadly as the Inu Lord. He was dressed in an outfit similar to Sesshomaru's, although his was a teal blue, with tan leaves on the collar and sleeves. He also had a sword at his side, although unlike the Inu, he wore no armor. However, Kagome didn't notice any of that. Instead, the thing she did notice was his blank, emotionless face.

What broke her heart the most however, were his eyes. His once bright, emerald green eyes had dulled, and looked to have no life in them at all. It seemed as though he was merely _there_. Going through the motions, but not quite living. It took everything she had not to ruin the surprise and run over to him, so she could pull him into her arms. In that moment, she was thankful for her scent barrier, because she had tears streaming down her face, and she knew that even if she wanted to, she wouldn't have been able to stop them.

Kaia and Gin licked her hands and arms in an attempt to comfort her and calm her down, while Bali allowed her to lean on her for support.

Kagome was brought back to herself by the sound of the study door shutting. Looking around the room, she noticed that Shippo was now standing in the middle of the room by himself, with his back turned towards her.

After slowly dredging up the nerve to remove herself from her hiding spot, Kagome took a deep breath, and let it out silently.

Finally, she stepped away from the corner, and into full view, dropping her barriers as she did so. Immediately, Shippo turned, a snarl on his face as he instinctively placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Upon seeing her, however, he froze. His face turned as white as a sheet. Suddenly, he dropped to his knees, as if they could no longer hold him up. She was unable to see his face, because his bangs were hiding it from view. As soon as he hit the ground, Kagome rushed over to him. Kneeling in front of him, she hesitated. She didn't know how he would react if she pulled him into an embrace, like she so wished to.

"Mama." He whispered brokenly, looking up at her.

"Yes Shippo, it's me. I'm really here. I'm so sorry, if I had known what you all thought, I'd have travelled my feet raw just to come back to you. I'm so sorry, my Shippo, my baby." She said, just as quietly, moving her hands to hug herself in order to keep from launching at him.

He slowly rose a shaky hand towards her, before gently caressing her face. She leaned into his hand as he stared deeply into her eyes, as if searching for something. He must have found whatever it was he was looking for, because in the next second, Kagome found herself on her bottom as he hugged her as strongly as he could. Kagome started sobbing quietly as she returned the embrace ten-fold. She was flooded with relief, knowing now that her worries had all been for naught. She let go of all her anxiety, allowing her them to melt away. Now that she had her son, she would gladly face the entire world, knowing that he would be there to give her strength. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders as she held him to her.

When she realized she wasn't the only one crying, Kagome began rocking side to side humming a light tune and rubbing Shippo's back soothingly, just like she used to when he was younger. This also helped to reassure herself that he was really there in front of her, holding her to him like she was his lifeline. Eventually, both of them calmed down enough to pull away from each other, and Kagome was doubly relieved to see that the light was back in her son's eyes, and they were once again bright, and full of happiness.

She was thrilled when he looked at her and smiled hugely, as he began speaking, but it was short-lived though, because as he asked his questions, he frowned.

"Oh Mama, I'm so glad you're ok! What happened? Sesshomaru, Inuyasha and I all looked for you, for two whole years, but could never find a trace of you. We all thought you were dead."

Kagome sighed sadly but answered him. She explained how she had almost been killed by the bandit and was saved by Kaia. How she had travelled to find them, but never did. She told him about the twins, her transformation, meeting Taisho for the first time, and everything in between. She even went so far as to tell him about her worries and fears that no one had even tried looking for her in her absence.

Shippo listened to it all with rapt attention. To Kagome's relief, his face once again showed his emotions and what he was seemingly thinking. She watched as he scowled, grinned, rolled his eyes, and frowned during certain parts of her story. She was glad to see that her son was already softening back up. It warmed her heart immensely.

Shaking his head in exasperation when she finished, Shippo sighed sadly. "Inuyasha really did a number on you back then, didn't he Mama?" He stated more than asked.

At Kagome's confused look, he elaborated. "Those tigers of yours were right. All that matters to me is that you're alive, and are here now. I wouldn't care if you had turned into the female version of Jaken!" Here, Kagome grimaced, shivering in disgust. "You really do think too lowly of yourself, and we all know Inuyasha is to blame for that. Even he knows it."

He stopped her as she went to protest. "No, do not defend him. Everyone who has ever been around you two for more than five minutes knows exactly what I'm talking about. You were always the only one that never saw it for what it really was, nor did you notice what it did to you, either." Here, she frowned, but didn't even try to dispute his claims, knowing deep down that they were indeed true.

"Look, I'm not trying to upset you. All I'm saying is that Inuyasha is the reason why you think so lowly of yourself, and you can't even try to deny it. We all have wished that you hadn't lost your self-confidence. However, know that now that you're back, I will do everything I can to help you regain it. And I will gladly kill anyone who even _thinks_ of trying to ruin it again." Here, his eyes took on a murderous look, which Kagome was unaccustomed to seeing from her Kit.

"Anyways, I got off topic. What I was trying to say, is that as long as you're here, nothing else is important right now. We will deal with everything else as it comes, and I'm sure I can speak for the whole of our old group when I say that it doesn't matter _what_ you are, Mama. You will _always_ be our Kagome, and nothing, not even the Kami themselves, can change that."

Kagome was so touched by what he said that this time it was _her_ who knocked him over with her embrace. He soothingly rubbed her back, much like she had done to him minutes before, while she cried, letting out all her pent-up emotions. Once her sobs had calmed to hiccups, she pulled away and looked up at him, smiling when she saw him gazing back at her with eyes that were full of the love and understanding that only one's child could give.

"Thank you Shippo. Even after all these years, you still knew exactly what I needed to hear… Even if I don't want to hear it." She said, that last part in rueful tone.

"Of course. That's what I'm here for." Shippo said, grinning.

Just then, she remembered that they had a small audience, so Kagome called the felines over to them and formally introduced them to Shippo.

She was happy to see that they all got along well, although she'd had little doubt in the first place.

Watching her son and streakmates conversing happily made Kagome feel something she hadn't felt in a long time. Complete contentment.

She was suddenly more excited and at ease with the thought that soon, she would have all of her friends and second family with her again.

She couldn't wait.

* * *

A/N

Well? What did you guys think? Constructive criticism is welcomed, flames are not!

Did you guys like the reunion, or did you think it was sort of lackluster? I'm not all that great at really emotional scenes like that, so I'm sorry if some of you were disappointed.

Also, I know that the very end of this chapter seems a little rushed, but it's 6 o'clock in the morning, and honestly, I'm too tired to think of another way to end it. I wanted to get this chapter finished as soon as possible, so I could post it. I feel bad for making you guys wait so long in between chapters. I hope this makes up for it, at least a little bit. Until next time!

-MSP


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